… what are you looking at? Like, which building? And who are you speaking to? Do you think they can help or something?

You, ah…

You guess you were speaking to the back of the inn. It just kinda seemed like the right thing to do.

Maybe you’re starting to figure this witchhunter thing out. Or maybe you’re losing your mind. Either one sort of seems like a step up at this point.

Wham wrote:

Check inventory for telekinesis

Look, you’ve explained this before. Your inventory is a mental abstraction of the items you are carrying, not your abilities! And even if it did show your abilities, it’s just an imaginary list showing what you have. It doesn’t actually store things or allow you to access them. That would be utterly impossible and ridiculous.

You’ve already been analyzing the problem, and so far it hasn’t done anything.

Regardless, you carefully consider what you know. According to the witchhunter ghost, puns and wordplay aren’t the “proper” way to trigger telekinesis, eliminating your one mildly reliable approach to magic. If you’re using telekinesis properly, then the amulet of silence shouldn’t be able to stop you. And apparently, the secret is to “think like a witchhunter”. You’re still kind of figuring out what that means.

Soooo… you guess you’ll try a whole bunch of things.

bird wrote:

You have to lift peg without touching it thats not that hard

OfficerSkeleton wrote:

Just kinda…imagine it floating.

JJR wrote:

peg: continue to be composed mainly of earth and refuse to rise, in the absence of a violent or unnatural force, in accordance with Aristotelian Physics.

Turtles wrote:

Simple. Birds fly, telekinesis makes things fly. Just imagine the force of your mind like a bird flying into stuff! Or picking up stuff and flying over to other stuff!

RacistCatDay wrote:

Stare at the peg. Think like the peg. BE the peg.

SiBby wrote:

Peg: Lift from the table.

Cromwell wrote:

Look, mysticism is old fashioned stuff right? Like super old fashioned. Perform something equally old like a rain dance of some kind to tap into those ancient roots and get the peg to float.

demanji wrote:

focus on a single peg.
clear your mind of everything but the peg.
focus on an upward motion.
if all else fails try to start a fire under it to move it upwards

CommonSense,BadlyTimed wrote:

MAKE FIRE.
BE CAT.
MEOW MEOW.
YOu HAVE GATO MAKE FIRE.
YOu ARE GOING TO KNEAD TO MAKE FIRE NOW.
Fire.
………meow.

Greyfox wrote:

How about if you remove the pendant before trying to use the spell?

Yeah, this… this isn’t working. This is stupid.

You tell the insane ghost elf how stupid this is. You can see the amulet flashing and sparkling; it’s blocking all your magic just like it’s supposed to. If you could just, you know, take it off, you could concentrate on the pieces, do the pun thing, and have no problem getting them to move with your mind.

The ghost rolls his eyes, looking a little frustrated by now. That’s not moving, he says, that’s flopping. That’s like downhill skiing on snowshoes, or giving a haircut using a halberd – the sort of shit you’d expect from a nord. Being a witchhunter is about acting with nuance. Throwing nothing but raw energy at a problem gets you nothing but a problem lovingly slathered with cold, sticky energy.

But it worked, you say. With the amulet off, you actually got things to move… a little. If nothing else, it was easier than what you’re trying now.

It wasn’t easier, the ghost explains, you just knew how to do it. Sometimes the easiest method you know is the hardest method there is.

It’s like… to someone who only knows how to dig with a spoon, the notion of digging something as large as a trench will terrify them. All they know are spoons, so as far as they’re concerned, digging is simply difficult. The only way they can imagine it getting any easier is if they change – digging with a spoon until they get stronger, faster, and tougher. And the dangerous people, they’ll actually try this.

Everyone who will ever oppose you in life is a crazy, burly dude with a spoon, and you will never be able to outspoon them. Even the powerful people, they’re just spooning harder and more vigorously than everyone else, like hungry orphan children eating soup. Except the soup is power. I’ll level with you here: I have completely lost track of this analogy.

What I’m saying, giant talking cat, is that everyone is stupid. They attain a narrow grasp of reality and live their life as though there is nothing else. But you, me, creatures with imagination – we aren’t constrained by our experiences. We’re inspired by them. If we have trouble digging with a spoon, we build a shovel. If we’re stopped by a wall, we make a door. And if we can’t make a door, we ask ourselves whether we really need an opening to pass through something solid in the first place.

You point out that you’re not a ghost, and that you do need an opening to pass through solid objects.

No – that’s your mistake, he replies. That’s why you’re still not thinking like a witchhunter. You’re trying to do things right, and that’s wrong. Mysticism means taking a step back – accepting that the very laws of reason and logic you abide by are merely one option of many. It means knowing you only see half the picture in a world where everyone else thinks they see the whole thing. It means having the sheer arrogance to have humility.

That’s why I’m saying you have to think like a witchhunter. You have to be a little wrong to be completely right – to abandon truth in favor of questioning falsehood. If you think something’s the easiest way, you have to know you’re wrong. You have to understand how to stand against the very stance of understanding! You have to know you are inferior; that your knowledge and perceptions will never stand up to the true scope of all possible reality. You have to be a little further from perfect, and embrace that notion.

Can you do that, Jo-Khajiit? Can you make mistakes, fearlessly pursue the worst ideas, and be inferior?

I’m the best fucking fuckup in Cyrodiil.

Additional resource credits:
Cider – all the good animationsSquiggles – all the good lineworkMalic – first draft help
Kryptos – almost fixed the website problems

The dangerous ones aren’t the best at spoon digging, they’re the best at spooning. A subtle, yet important, difference.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Spoon-digger, gold-digger, we’re all the same at the end of the day. So I’d suggest that you, get ready for it, spoon off. :/

Pity, looks like I’m too ridiculously excited to make anything other than punny half-assed jokes.

sporkaganza

Using mainly spoons…

JJR

True spooners would use spainly moons.

Alex Franklin

Use manly spoons!
Moon spoony men!
Spam looney uses?

actua

There’s definitely a looney in the mix.

SuperGnome

Should-… should we spoon him?

http://aluckart.deviantart.com/ Kamaru1991

katia is your picure

smores56

how does one procure a picure?

http://aluckart.deviantart.com/ Kamaru1991

Picture she has katia im prof

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

To get a picture, just sign up for a Disqus account! Benefits include notifications for whenever anyone responds to you (which is so nice) and the ability to edit your posts if you make a mistake.

http://aluckart.deviantart.com/ Kamaru1991

I do textures full of google coasters therefore error

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Squiggles’ resource tag link is messed up. Small things are the most tedious. :3

Kazerad

Whoops, fixed! Thanks.

(Though try to keep content in your posts, or use the edit button! I’m gonna delete a few of the shorter ones)

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

I regret nothing! Nothing. :}

Psithief

Downvoting all of your spam…

or did I?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Went a little crazy this update, sorry. :{ You’re still pretty cool to do that. Though I don’t think down voting does much besides bumping it down the list when comments are sorted by ‘Best’; I might wrong.

Psithief

I didn’t get around to it. I figured saying I did would be good enough. (witchhunter easymode)

But that’s exactly what downvoting does, yes.

Dorran

” exactly what downvoting does”
….
By the nine thats it! Quick someone make a post as the Table with the pegs on and then everyone of us upvote that post to the the top of the list!! It will then have risen to above all things!

pride-and-parliament

The Heretofore Undiscovered Law of Katia Managan (it is not the same as Clarke’s law):
Magic=Internet

How forum posters are able to transfer their thoughts to the alternate dimension of Skyrim: from Katia’s perspective, it’s clearly magic. Of course, we’re supposing that Katia is real, and thus that Kazerad’s creativity is fueled by the memories of Katia propelled to our dimension through her future self’s amazing powers of mysticism. It seems like a reasonable assumption.

ADECOSTAR_ELITE

Now you’re thinking like a witchhunter!

Gren

It’s not Skyrim. It’s Oblivion.

Lucid Cataclysm

It’s neither. Skyrim is a region/nation in tamriel. Oblivion is a separate plane of existence altogether.

IG Aka Inglorious bastard

Actually it’s Cyrodil.

Gren

He was talking about dimensions so I thought he meant the game. If you want to be specific then we’re at the end of 3rd Era in the Imperial province of Cyrodiil, continent of Tamriel, planet Nirn (or Mundus).

pride-and-parliament

The dimension in which the Elder Scrolls games takes place in. That’s what I meant. I’ve never actually played the series so I don’t know all the correct nomenclature.

Ralof

Elder Scrolls takes place on planet Nirn, and occasionally different planes of Oblivion. Also Sovngarde but that was like five minutes.

JJR

Yes delete his post thereby lower… I mean I am most
certainty not engaged in some sort of status game that involves trying to be
the one with the most posted comments. That’s just silly.

But Gribble lives in a different time zone, which causes him to experience relativistic time dilation.

Kane

Happy halves to the next, then.

http://relth.deviantart.com/ Relth Mcroth

it’s out

YES!

SrLupinotuum

My mother is sacred!!! *bitch slap*

Duncake

PREQUEL is the best thing I have ever read. When I found out what it is I read every single panel from the beggining in one go and then I spent a whole night just fangasming over it. Thank you. Thank you so much for this. It is worth every day of waiting just to see another update.

Woodledude

That’s the reaction most people have, I think. Great time to discover it, too. XD

The trick is in working your face. People don’t take your enthusiasm seriously until they’re screaming from the unholy movements you just made with your face.

Oh man, I’m still crying a little from that link. :’) Too good.

pride-and-parliament

I solved your anagram, CT. :3 You win all the internets for this.
“Liar entrapped a mind” doesn’t seem to work as well…

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Does it not wow and amaze?? Of course, it means I have a serious problem with posting too much. Oh how it’s been fun, making all the heads talk and dance. Just how many have you found? I’m up to quite a few, certainly too many for me to claim optimal mental health.

pride-and-parliament

Oh, wow, I just found Cardiac Tasty and As I Cry, Dat Cat.
You are fantastic. Here’s my email: goddess.he.wolf@gmail.com.
NOTE: I edited out my real name anagram because it’s better safe than sorry; I’m not going to turn this into an anagram retroactively (word usage?) though.

JJR

Anagram? CT?
Is this what I think it is?

Stray Cat Acid

“Minds that have wIThEreD into pSyCHoSis are far more tErRIfyiNg than any character of fiction.”

So the person I am locked in epic comment combat with is actually half a dozen of the users, and maybe more.
You realize this makes you the villain, right?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Oh most definitely, I took that for granted when we started this. Luckily, I don’t believe in happy endings. {!

Da Scary Attic

Of course, a true puppet master wouldn’t take his bow during the middle of a performance; for this, he needs be chastened. The show must go on, even when a member of the audience stands and points out the wires.

As a new face appears, let us proceed to Act 2. I wonder; when does the mAStEr become a puPpET?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

This… may be a problem.

YC aSadCatTri? I<3ta CYrCatSad

And look, you’ve left your toys out again! After ‘one’ finishes with his fun, ‘one’ really ought to clean up after ‘oneself’, lest the shadows creep in and give new life to ‘one’s’ creations.

I particularly like this one. Such a dark and twisted wit, so much barely contained sadism and bile. He and I will have such fun together, watching the cat cry out in the pain that she so undeniably deserves.

Wow, you aren’t kidding. I was worrying how one of my faces spontaneously started talking, I started to wonder if I’d finally flipped my shit; I have been going through a little more of a… mind shattering patch recently. That, or someone slipped into my shoes and started walking around, which I must admit is kind of cool if not a little frightening.

Um, since you’ve clearly already got the general style down, what say you and I team up? I guess it’s fine, sort of. not really? >:

Curses, foiled in my master plan, meddling kids. >:s But I’ll be back on top eventually Mr. JJR, and you shall rue that day!! >:/

“…what’s that smell?”

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

You may think so, but I have already set my sights on the next target, dtlux14. And on that day, when I am first, they will gaze upon my profile and say, “He has way too much invested in that little number.”

JJR

New page, but still no peg movement. Does this mean that none of the commands were correct or are those going to be used in the next update?
Also, yay, one of my commands was used. It was the one I thought had no chance, but does this mean that physics in Prequel is Aristotelian? As in, the peg is explicitly obeying Aristotelian physics as opposed to Newtonian?

Alex Franklin

Remind me, is that the take on physics that among other things states objects fall because they just want to be closer to the ground?
If that’s how this world works, do we need to prove to an inanimate object that its reason for staying on the ground is logically flawed? That sort of sounds like something Aggy would support…

Khoth

Actually if we follow this line of thought we must convince the peg that it is fire the element that rests above air naturally in Aristotleian physics. To accomplish this we could set the peice on fire to further convince it.

JJR

But we tried lighting it on fire in this update, and that didn’t work ’cause the puppy amulet blocked that spell to.

JJR

Maybe?
Part of what I am wondering about is that when I was writing the command to tell the peg to not move, I almost went with a version that referenced Newtonian physics instead. So, why was that one chosen? Was it because it referenced Aristotelian physics and Kazerad wants us to know that’s how the prequel universe works? Or maybe it was some other reason and the Newtonian version would have also been accepted.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

It could be trying to convey that Katia still fundamentally expects the peg to continue obeying some set of physical laws, whether that be Aristotelian or Newtonian. And from a world flavor standpoint, it would make more sense for the people of Cyrodiil to support an Aristotelian paradigm.

Intentional or not, I like how your command gives Kazerad the resources to hint at Katia’s latent intelligence. It’s kind of neat to see that she unconsciously understands concepts like Aristotelian Physics; I wonder if we’ll see more commands like it as she grows more confident.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

That would mean it was Katia thinking that thought, which would make more sense than what I was thinking. I thought that it was the peg, but pegs tend not to have thoughts, as far as I know.

That would mean that there is a philosopher named Aristotle in the Prequel universe that Katia is familiar with, who wrote about physics. Of course any such philosophers existing in Prequel would have something to say about the influence of magic, so maybe Katia is already familiar with the proper way of thinking and just needs to be reminded.

The peg

Oh, you have no idea what we’re capable of…

Lordgeorge16

I suppose the real questions here are whether or not people in the Elder Scrolls universe have a basic understanding of the laws of physics and who in the name of Talos “Aristotle” or “Newton” are.

Viewer

Why is the horribly insane racist ghost the best mentor we’ve encountered so far?

JJR

What other mentors do we have to compare him to? There was that guy who gave us some training with heavy weapons. I don’t think any of the other characters have done any mentoring.

unclevertitle

Well Asotil… but he was only slightly saner than Aggy.

Imp

Because insane racist ghosts make the best mentors.

tronn

He seems perfectly lucid in this update though. I think his so-called insanity is just a mixture of witchhunter thinking and onset of ghost dementia, basically an act.

(the racism is real, though)

ADECOSTAR_ELITE

He’s the only Mage yet to try and teach Katia proper Magic. I guess it takes an insane one to do something considered insane by the others.

Watcher

So, uh… There’s a spider building a web off of the puzzle board. Is that gonna be a problem?

Iridell

Hopefully not. I have been wrong before though…

JJR

Yes, If you analyze the traffic patterns typical to insects, taking into account regional and seasonal variability, the number of flies we can expect the spider to catch with a web in that location is less than required to maintain metabolic function. Sadly the spider will not survive the winter.

Iridell

Nor will any flies, gnats, or any other flying insect.

FoolishOwl

The most intelligent spiders are concerned with creating a legacy that will outlast their biological lifespan. One approach is through spelling out messages in webs.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

I believe it’s not so much a problem in and of itself, but an allegorical indication of another problem; that it’s taken us two months, and we still haven’t moved the peg. It’s literally about to start collecting cobwebs.

Plus, it might be reffing this. It does seem like something Kazerad might do…

Iridell

You’d think that with two months of snow, people would investigate. When was the last time Kavatch snowed before?

JJR

Why investigate? Snow is perfectly normal, as a matter of fact it’s been snowing for the last two months.

Iridell

But there should be piles of snow on the ground by now. Even without Aggy using that spell, would it have been raining this long too? If so, the cities’ sewer system should be replaced with storm drains that lead right down the mountain, or somewhere convenient for the people to use it.

Pajaul

Everyone knows that was cut because they couldn’t get it to compile right.

“Much snow in Skyrim. Enough snow. M’aiq does not want any more.”

SrLupinotuum

Is not just regular snow, it is magic snow!

Corovaneer

Is it… self-hate? Self-irony?
World-irony?

JJR

Ive been waiting for someone to name a song I could Katiaficate in the comment section, this is close enough.

An young elf turned ninety-eight
He found a unicorn and died the next day
It’s a stuck peg in your puzzle thing
It’s realization two minutes too late
And isn’t it ironic… don’t you think

It’s like rain on your kitty fur
It’s a free orange when you’re already drained
It’s the ghost advice that you just couldn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Ms. Play It Safe was afraid to sleep
She burned her bottle and kissed her mind goodbye
She had lived her whole damn life having that dream
And as the King rose up she thought
“Well isn’t this nice…”
And isn’t it ironic… don’t you think

It’s like rain on your kitty fur
It’s a free orange when you’re already drained
It’s the ghost advice that you just couldn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Well thieves have a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything’s okay and everything’s going right
And ghosts have a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything’s gone wrong and everything burns down
In your face

A brave guardsman when you’re already safe
A no-magic piece on your magic-less neck
It’s like ten thousand puns when all you need is a thought
It’s meeting the man of your dreams
And running for the sake of your life
And isn’t it ironic…don’t you think
A little too ironic…and, yeah, I really do think…

It’s like rain on your kitty fur
It’s a free orange when you’re already drained
It’s the ghost advice that you just couldn’t take
Who would’ve thought… it figures

Ghosts have a funny way of sneaking up on you
Ghosts have a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

…this is fantastic.

Samuel

Why did she lose her tail in the second image?

JJR

It’s not there because she forgot to visualize it when checking her inventory.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

I knew it! The entire perception of herself being a cat-person is actually a side effect of extreme low self esteem. As she progressively gains more confidence, she’ll lose more and more of her kitty features.

It’s chill, don’t get too frazzled. A few people here just really hate having their inboxes pounded by all the chatter that the Prequel comment section generates. That or they’re sick of how stupid everyone around them seems to be, or maybe how everyone here seems to be a star-crossed fanboy, I haven’t quite pinned it down yet. I think the reason is probably more interesting than what I can imagine by myself.

Great suggestion though, nice and witchhuntery. You should totally submit it.

Psithief

No, it was a comment that popped up while I was writing my own. Groucho’s response is gold, though.

I am frustrated that I can’t fix the problem. I can only let newbies know what they’ve done wrong.

The website needs a little reminder just before the comments section that suggestions go to that link.

ganonlink

“It means having the sheer arrogance to have humility.”
That line is AWESOME. I didn’t really get it the first time I read it, but once I did it was the best thing ever.

Bob

So, now we’ve seen her epic dancing skills. This is progress. But we NEED to see the pineapple-and-yoyo-trick. Censored or otherwise, I MUST KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE!

Also, best collection of gifs ever.

Psithief

Even Kaz doesn’t know what this looks like.That’s the joke.

Bob

I know, if he actually had an idea of what the trick was we’d have seen it. But in this universe most of Anvil knows, and that’s enough to make me FURIOUS WITH JEALOUSY.

JJR

It does not look like anything, whenever it’s performed Alkosh breaks time to prevent it from happening.
More importantly, it is that which should not be; turn back traveler lest you see what it is, you will never be able to unsee it.

Alex Franklin

It’s not much, but in an interview Kazerad said he got the idea from a line in a Dave Barry book. Something about seeing women who could do an unbelievable feat using a fruit and her vagina… which I guess is slightly more specific since it mentions an involved body part? But that’s all I’ve heard him say on the matter.

Guest

I think that this might be the pineapple thing. If so, Katia has truly learned from the best.

Psithief

I’m going to throw in one last suggestion, then call it quits at two. This one needs to be even more profound, I guess.

Woodledude

Great heavens, of course. Thinking like a witch hunter is the same as thinking like a scientist – Most people assume they’re right, but a scientist knows he’s probably wrong, and embraces that. Which allows them to do amazing things… And you hid it all behind the clever guise of a madman. Kaz, you’re a genius.

Bob

“Nothing is impossible! Not if you can imagine it. That’s what being a scientist is all about!”
-Dr. Farnsworth

Clearly, one in the same.

JJR

Even better, Cubert’s sarcastic reply was, “No, that’s what being a magical elf is all about.”

And we just so happen to have a magical elf with us.

Bob

And as I recall the dark matter engine which powers the ship that he sort of invented worked by moving the universe around it.

I think I see how this peg is going to move.

Pajaul

Exactly, the peg doesn’t need to go up, the universe needs to go down, and Katia is an expert on going down.

…wait.

Woodledude

In more ways than one, I suppose.

Tesla

C’Mon kitty. All you have to do is pretend the laws of the universe don’t apply to you! Believe!

TheTurnipKing

That’s not what he’s saying.

What he’s saying is that your knowledge and understanding of the laws of the universe could well be faulty.

I mean, you take it forgranted that, if you stack an object on top of another object, and then you remove the bottom object, the whole stack will fall over, right? That is expected behavior, and Not Thinking Like A Witchhunter.

We gotta train Katia to exploit the fuck out of any “bugs” we can find in this universe.

FoolishOwl

This universe is different from our own: ideas precede matter. The laws of physics are the Earthbones — the souls of the Eight Divines, rendered mortal and bound to this plane.

Uzi_Man

Heh, this update makes me think of how Katia is such a beautiful and graceful character in her own unique way.
The new animations are very well done, too.

Moon

…….hope she does it soon and the next update is soon..now can anyone praise the sun?

Anonymous

Yes!!!!! Finally! An update!

dude

This has become a fucking cesspool of “oh my life sucks and isn’t good.” The story has gone nowhere in the past year and it has simply lost appeal.

Anon

You don’t get it. She’s just about to turn her god damn life around by embracing mysticism. This is when shit goes from flat to rising action, or at least making us a good portion of the way up.

dude

Do you get it? Did you read it before when it was great? Before there weren’t attracted to women inspirational panels and “OMG XDDDDDD SO FUNNY” random ghosts that said things that are supposed to be cool. Did there used to be italic text every sentence that mean to convey a message that “Oh you can overcome this.” The comic has deteriorated. If someone showed me it right now I probably wouldn’t give it a second thought and discard it to the heap of stupid things I see all day. Oh, and people like you? That are with this whole fucking bandwagon of “She’s just about to turn her god damn life around by embracing mysticism.” That’s pretty fucking attracted to women. This whole base that this comic has obtained that probably fucking cried after they read “I’m the best fuckup”? You’re all bad.

It’s not polite to use “gay” in a derogatory manner! I have expanded all instances into “attracted to women”. – The moderation

Livn Lern

It does feel a bit more whiny than it did starting out.the constant pessimistic tone feels like it has just over stayed it’s welcome a little. The story might have just picked you up and then dropped you too many times and the fact that “being a fuck up is a good thing” now (at least as implied) felt a bit overkill, however, it does seem to be picking up again in some capacity. Hoping it works out.

Bob

I literally just read the comic start to finish, and the only change I’m seeing is things looking (very slightly) up for Katia. ‘S been entertaining from cover to cover. You don’t like it? Good thing you don’t have to read it. There’s also nobody compelling you to complain about it.

Pajaul

Attracted to women inspirational panels vs what, horrible depressive pessimistic panels? Random ghost that said things that are supposed to be cool vs what, random orc who says things that are supposed to be cool? This comic is going the same as ever with the exception of better art, more artistic influence, and yes, fuller writing. Did you prefer when each panel was simply a minor altercation of the last, or perhaps a copy of the last in sequence to show taking a long time to think, or mayhaps you mean you’d rather Katia no longer showed any interest in improving? Or maybe you want to see her suffer more and try less? You note a great deal of attracted to women things but don’t suggest an alternative.

For me this comic has not risen optimistically nearly enough, mainly because that is the running joke, making a cat cry, and you can not have ‘down’ without the ‘up’. But let’s be fair, we’ve been at this for literally years. There is only so much of one flavor one can serve before it become bland. There are spices now and again, mostly artistically, such as the animated panels, the dream sequences, the costume changes and so forth, but the over all formula has not changed. Try- Fail – What did we learn? -Try – Fail – What did we learn? The teacher may have changed, and the situation may be taking a different turn; It may not be progress, it may not even be directional, but it’s a change and if you do not like change, then you can’t possibly be ready for any kind of progression. But if you are, we’d be happy to hear what direction you think it should take. Commands to that purpose would also be appreciated. Never give up the fight my friend.

–Stop right there attracted to women!

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Technically, it started as a fucking cesspool of oh my life sucks and isn’t going good. Technically, most of our lives are perpetual cesspools of life suckage and not goodness, unless you get lucky, work hard, or die. Sometimes, all three. I think it’s why we keep coming back; if our life has been a cesspool and Katia’s life continues to be a cesspool, then maybe if Katia’s life gets better, ours will too.

We’re so desperate for something to validate our wishing, so wrapped up in hope, that we’re willing to grab onto characters we empathize closely with, such as Katia, and slip into the belief that they could serve as an example for us. And looking to an example is something fundamental to being human; it’s rooted deeply in how we learn. Any sufficiently talented story teller could (and I’d propose, does) abuse this pseudo-weakness by creating a sufficiently ‘human’ character. The best writers milk it for all it’s worth.

The harsh truth is, at the end of the day, this is only a made up story about the life happenings of a particularly sad cat. But it still feels good and maybe could, I dunno, inspire someone to go solve their own problems. Sort of like a security blanket. Or painkillers.

…you know what, I think I might of just stumbled across one of the things Kazerad could be observing/playing with/experimenting on, all while under the guise of writing a free comic. He’s systematically manipulating people through taking advantage of their hope.

god i love the hard lines, these panels are beautiful the toning on the old guy, katia’s LINES. THOSE LINES ARE SO FANTASTIC

dtlux14

YAY! UPDATE! This was the first update I had to WAIT for. It was worth the wait too. I can’t wait for more, keep up the good work. I also like how the art on this page is different. Keep up the great work. Also, notice that Cider did most work. I LOVE THESE GIFS! BEST OF THE STORY!

Christopher Gargani

Yessssssssss.

VanityPirate

OCRAP Sorry accidentally pressed enter too soon. I wanted to say that your art looks fantastic and the story is building up great.

Anonymouse

I cannot believe how much this comic has come to mean to me, personally, as a fellow total fuckup. Thank you so much.

KillerTamarin

Woohoo, another part of the PREQUEL series, now I have to wait for the horribly painful emptiness to pass then again wait for another part of the series.

JJR

File this under things I didn’t notice at first. If you hold your mouse cursor over the second image the inventory bar stays out and labels for everything appear.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Yep, it’s also where a peep could set his profile pic, cough cough. c:

How was that? Could we be Prequel People, aka ‘peeps’? I’ve always wanted to be part of the naming of a group/club/cult. It’d make this, like, official ‘n shit. Maybe it’s too reminiscent of chicken though, idk.

JJR

And now I have a profile pic, of course when I first loaded it disqus disappeared from my computer for about half a minute. I was worried I would never be able to comment on Prequel again. Even worse my first thought was, this must happen to other people, I’ll just post a comment asking how… oh yeah….

unclevertitle

“Preeps” maybe?

Pajaul

“tears” perhaps?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Seconded.

tronn

I like Cider’s art style – it’s different from yours but it fits the comic and is frankly more expressive.

Also, our voices seem to originate to the left and bit downwards from Katia’s head, that’s nice to know!

Bob

I haven’t noticed it being any more or less expressive – but we are getting more of the up-close full-face views and less of the round face. That I definitely like. But perhaps that’s just the nature of the last few updates. In any case it’s more about the story.

Darkening

That’s heartwarming at the end

Livn Lern

I find it incredible that after reading through this entire journey so far, Katia has yet to even consider suicide. It’s not at all unwelcome but it still seems odd that with all her wanting to escape this miserable life, she has not considered… well, death. Of course if I just jinxed it and next time she might hit the ground once more she actually thinks it up… I apologize.

Alex Franklin

That’s the thing about Katia. She may have a terrible life, but she has aspirations. She still holds out hope that things can get better, regardless of luck, patterns, or narrative foreshadowing!

JJR

And that is just the sort of linear thinking needed to be a witchhunter.

Livn Lern

Indeed

tronn

She’s stupid that way, she just doesn’t know when to give up hope and take the easy way out.

peregarrett

Hooray, a new page!

Estradus

I don’t understand why the pegs aren’t just like, flying all over willy nilly. Oh, sure, theres things like gravity holding them down, but everyone knows how unreliable that is. I bet the whole table could just go floating up into the sky now, totally reasonable. I wouldn’t even blink an eye in confusion if that happened. Bonus points if it remembers gravity after a minute and crashes back to earth somewhere… Maybe, back in through the roof of the tavern, back to where it was suposed to be all along. Yes, that is what could totally happen. It is a perfectly reasonable thing for a table to do, they travel home on their own accord all the time.

billy

Hey it took a month but now we know we’re a fuckup and we still haven’t moved a peg, dont gte me wrong… super cute stuff happened. I’m still saying slow progress

Fullmoon

…It means having the sheer arrogance to have humility…
Now that’s the damn best speech about general relativity I’ve ever heard. Or quantum theory. Or any other advanced physics theory, for that matter.

Evan McArdle

I’m half expecting her to attempt it with the amulet off, and have the table get flung all the way to Anvil.

needsomemiracle

This is getting increasingly esoteric and philosophical.
I like it.

What I’m not sure whether I like or not is a shift from crispy choppy pixel-y art and animation to a more fluid, flash-animation-like panels like when Katia is trying out different stuff with the peg.

Scaffolding

To be honest, I’d personally prefer to stick with the first kind of art style.

needsomemiracle

I’m glad I’m not the only one then.
There’s a certain charm in the pseudo-Lo-Fi, MSPA-style art that I think has become an integral part of Prequel.

DD

Love his speech here its actually pretty wise words, for imagination and discipline in a humorous style…

BEST NON-INTERACTIVE EPISODE EVER.
(Because seriously, some of those interactive ones bordered on straight-up fucking witchcraft and Katia in Kvatch: The RPG is neigh unbeatable.)

Guest

if doing something wrong is the solution, try to make the peg remain stationary. if you mess that up, that means it will move.

BattleCattle

Hiya. Wow, it’s a li’l crowded in your subconscious, ain’t it? Anyway, got a wild guess for ya, mate. Remember back when ya learned to toss fireballs at apples, ya had to draw the magicka from within, toss it and conflagrate it in mid air? I think ya forgot the first bit here. Ya can’t just imagine it movin’ and expect it to do what ya want just ’cause ya asked nicely. That puzzle there’s a unicorn: If ya just get on the darn thing expectin’ it to go where ya want, the unicorn’s gonna disagree and go its own way: So, put a harness on the unicorn and point its head in the right direction, and you can make it do what ya want.

Magicka is the harness. It isn’t meant to ask the unicorn if it’ll be a chum and go in the direction ya want, it’s meant to remove all options contrary to the desired result, and let ya sit back and watch magic happen. I can’t tell ya how it’s s’posed to work in practice, that’s what the rest of your head’s supposed to figure out..
Welp, there ya go.

alekksandar

Oh, shit’s about to get fucked up.

Kodak

So basically, Aggy is saying instead of trying to succeed and be perfect, you should understand that you’ll fail and try to fail in a productive way. Sounds good to me!

Nachtrae

Epic update was epic. Love all the different gifs, it brings so much life to each panel

Codydudetm

Be the Dao. Find your own Way, without hindrances like logic or thought. Language is just a construct that fails to conceptualize Mysticism. It’s like using a trap to catch a fish. Once you eat the fish, you don’t need the trap. Once you learn an idea, you don’t need the words.

Rosque

Maybe she should try uh, reverse psychology on the peg? She’s so terrible at everything… what if she’s the best at doing /exactly what she’s thinking about trying to do/?

Kiryn Silverwing

These updates are getting downright inspirational. I love it =D

QuarterDollar

Your weakness is strength, Katia!

Cobweb

We need a side history explaining how the puppy spirit came to be captured.
Man it’s great to see things moving again!

“You have to be a little wrong to be completely right – to abandon truth in favor of questioning falsehood. If you think something’s the easiest way, you have to know you’re wrong.”
Katia, instead of moving the peg from the puzzle board, try to move the puzzle board away from the peg.

Anon

Make the entirety of Tamriel move back an inch from the peg. Bam, levitation.

JJR

Also massive ‘quakes and flooding along the lower laying areas. I would vote for moving all of Nirn down, not just the one continent.

sonicfan315

This.. this is setting up for an ‘I reject your reality, and substitute my own’ joke isn’t it.

pride-and-parliament

Pretty much to a tee, I’d wager. Avast ye, SonicFan!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Again a malarial extra infests… eh, ‘hon’

damned lie; par, in part

Fantasy come true, yet what a Savage prediction!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Anagram fail, this line has one extra ‘a’…

yerdong

The fucking poledancing picture. I completely lost my shit. XD

James Almasy

Stop concentrating, and start procrastinating.

Katia. Think about yourself having a spiritual arm, like aggy’s. You hold your hand out in front of you, but that spiritual arm reaches 5 times as long. It can pick up the peg. You have 20-foot arms. Or Twenty Arm Foots.

Make no sense, it’s right.

Livn Lern

I’m beginning to think that ELFEN LIED.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

Guys… I think we have to insult Katia about her capability to screw up. like how shes so screwed up to think that the pegs could never move or something like that. kind off in the alternate title “Making a Cat Cry”… we have to make her cry internally…

Da Scary Attic

That’s like taking three right turns to make a left. Or, like, purposefully missing your turn, backing up to try again, turning the opposite direction just for the lulz, then parking and taking a cab because you are a terrible driver.

Breaking your capability to be broken? Witchhuntery has got to be the least efficient way to do things.

Sommie Riggs

Hehe, the pole-dancing in the background was brilliant… though a little bit out of character for the moment. Still good comic relief though!

Livn Lern

Well she HAS been implying that that’s the only “dance” she knows.

Shaggy Anubisllol

shes gonna have to do the pineapple thing isnt she?

YC aSadCatTri? I<3ta CYrCatSad

I do hope so. I’d be pleased to see this lesson require rather degrading activities of her in exchange for some small modicum of success; just as life has and will continue to do, of course. We can’t lose focus of who she is, afterall: a miserable animal wherein opportunity is wasted.

Anonymous

This kinda sounds like the start of a philosophy of science lecture. “The map isn’t the territory” “You will be wrong 100 times before you are right” “Nothing is absolutely certain, even the most established theories can be toppled by a single experiment.”

JJR

“Nothing is absolutely certain, even the most established theories can be toppled by a single experiment.”

What sort of experiment would you use to topple this theory?

tronn

That’s not a theory though, just a principle.

JJR

Ok, but it’s still a thing which means it’s not absolutely certain. At least I think that’s what it means.

People who pretend like they’re nonsensing. sense more then sense orientated people, because they’re too busy sensing to be too busy trying to sense, so they can sense harder without having to SHOW more sense. you so boss karezard, if more people said what they felt rather then trying to feel what they say and then say what they’re saying they’d say a lot more in a lot less and others would sense more of it, because you think in riddles and talk in answers but never question why you answer something no one questions without answering what people question and questioning what you answer.

fredsite

This whole thing is better and more inspirationalizing if you just let the music from the flash from Aggy’s extrapolating (while Katia/you are trying to solve the puzzle) run. The analogies make more (or less) sense, so maybe she/you should try thinking about it while that music is playing. BUILD THAT SHOVEL!

Also, I’VE FIANLLY CAUGHT UP!!! (Not that big of a feat, but still…)

Dr. Curiosity

“Being a witchhunter is about acting with nuance.”

I read that as “…acting with nuisance.” This may still be true.

jkjkjk

-2 months later-

“so has the cat flipped the table yet?”

Wuffles

Katia => Be the best fuckup.

An Explosion

YES FINALLY AN UPDATE

Valdimarian

the line “I reject your reality and replace it with my own” was made for this instance

(these anagrams are exhausting and also I forgot my password for the other account)

Stray Cat Acid

Oooh, how I laughed at this. We forgive you for stopping if you want. :}

*chastened*

Huehuehue. :> I swear, whenever I take an attempt at an anagram longer than a few words it always ends with loads of random trailing crap. I guess that’s why this was so funny. :B

Psithief

Um, yep. Thanks, I guess. Sorry.

Fit

Do you ever plan on having a Patreon or something similar for Prequel? I want to pay you for making such a wonderful experience.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, or last week on 4chan, Kazerad was playing around with the idea of a Prequel store. Also, he crumbled to peer pressure and sang a song made entirely of meows. It’s 4chan; weirder shit has happened.

I don’t know about the rest of us but if I knew Kaz was seeing a good chunk of the funds, I’d buy this shirt so fast my mouse would leave scorch marks in my desk.

EDIT: You know how you’ll be lying in your bed at three in the morning, just lying there in the dark, awake, and it hits you that you painfully butchered a reference to the most popular movie series of all time and now everyone will be writhing in agony while they’re trying to read your comment?

I didn’t know Kaz was a 4channer! I suppose ’cause I never stray very far from /fit/, /v/ or /tg/…

Kazerad

I would not call myself a “4channer”, but I do watch everywhere people talk about the comic and usually drop in if someone has a question or something. As much as people act afraid of it, 4chan is a pretty cool place.

Guest

4chan? Don’t they ban people for like, no reason? I wouldn’t go near that place.. Tumblr is slightly better.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

4chan sounds more and more like the old haunted house that everyone tells you to stay away from, but it’s really just a rumor started by the people who want to feel special that they’re the only ones who get to have crazy parties in the house’s basement.

It’s like 4chan is some elite exclusive club where the so-called scum of the internet gather to bask in the taboo and risque, when it’s really just a bunch of dudes who get bored at work or have too few friends irl.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

So that’s what Kazerad sounds like. Also I found the song that he was meowing, and Katiaficated it.

Somebody once told me that Nirn is gonna roll me
I ain’t the sharpest claw in the paw
he was looking rather foal with his finger and his thumb
In the shape of a horn like a blue straw

Well the dreams start coming and I can’t stop shacking
Back to the world and my eyes are both aching
Didn’t make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets drunk and your head gets numb

So much to do so much to smell
So what’s wrong with touching old elf wells
You’ll never know if you don’t go
You’ll never shine if you don’t glow

Hey now you’re a Khajiit get your rob on, go raid
Hey now you’re a Suthay get the dance on, get paid
And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

It’s a cool place but the ghost made it colder
You’re furred up now but make sure you don’t moulder
But the magical men beg to differ
Judging by the hole in the mage’s guild picture

The life we live is getting pretty ruff
The tears are getting low so you might get some tough
My furs on fire how about yours
Not the way I like it but at least I’m not bored

Hey now you’re a Khajiit get your rob on, go raid
Hey now you’re a Suthay get the dance on, get paid
And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

Hey now you’re a Khajiit get your rob on, go raid
Hey now you’re a Suthay get the dance on, get paid
And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

Somebody once asked could I spare some change for ship
I need to get myself away from this place
I said nope but the concept
I could use a little trip myself
And we could all use a little change

Well the dreams start coming and I can’t stop shacking
Back to the world and my eyes are both aching
Didn’t make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets drunk and your head gets numb

So much to do so much to smell
So what’s wrong with touching old elf wells
You’ll never know if you don’t go
You’ll never shine if you don’t glow

Hey now you’re a Khajiit get your rob on, go raid
Hey now you’re a Suthay get the dance on, get paid
And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

…how did I miss this.
THE IRONY. IT BURNS.

Gah, it’s way too appropriate. Thank you Kaz, thank you. :B

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Can I just say your Katiafication of songs is ridiculously awesome?? You sneak in so many goodies that just make me laugh such ugly laughter. C:

Now I’m going to go listen to this song while reading your superior lyrics.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

And all that logic you’re told
Only Atronachs break the mold

I mean how?! How do you get the words to fit so perfectly, how?!? Just… amazing.

EDIT: You are the most wonderful person in the world if you intentionally put ‘shacking’ instead of ‘shaking’. I just realized that that may not have been deliberate, but it makes it sooo much funnier.

EDIT EDIT:

The tears are getting low so you might get some tough

GAAAH SO WONDERFUL

EDIT EDIT EDIT (getting ridiculous, I know): Fixed; nerdgasming so hard that I didn’t even think to turn on my grammar-nazi.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

You ask me how I get the words to fit perfectly while simultaneously preserving one of my errors, it should be ‘you’re’ not ‘your.’ I had to go back and edit some things like that.

Edit:

EDIT: You are the most wonderful person in the world if you intentionally put ‘shacking’ instead of ‘shaking’. I just realized that that may not have been deliberate, but it makes it sooo much funnier.

That was not deliberate at all; I meant to put ‘shaking,’ but I’ll leave it as it is.

Stray Cat Acid

Just one more comment, sorry sorry, this is just way too good and totally worth it.

You, sir, have just made my day. I’m a little giddy from the how perfectly this conveys Katia’s situation; it’s like Prequel just had a mini-update.

Gren

MY GOODNESS! PLEASE. SOMEONE. DO A COVER. OF THIS. I CAN’T. STOP LAUGHING.

Alex Franklin

I believe she needs to think about her mind-state the last time she used raw magic in spite of the amulet. Could it be tied to the fact that she had just quit drinking, something that took new levels of pure willpower? Maybe you need to achieve a similar feat with regards to intellect. She should try seeing what happens if you devote all effort into believing the nonsense that ghost is spewing. Take on a whole new mindset! EMBRACE the madness! Look at the world through his eyes and see if that changes anything.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Look at the world through his eyes and try to find the things that don’t change. Ghost-sight is some pretty freaky shit.

The command I submitted wasn’t accepted, but I feel like our mentor here is offering a similar train of thought, so I feel vindicated.

Tau

So the trick seems to be to get it to make sense. Think about it, magic does always seem to be connected to thoughts and feelings. So thoughts are not just thoughts, they are also magic. At least yours are. Which means that it’s not so strange for a thing to behave differently when it’s filled with your thoughts. And really, all those weird attempts to move that peg have already made that peg special. This is your peg. It doesn’t need to obey gravity anymore. Hell, seeing as it now has a connection to you, it would probably share your talent for failure. And what is flying if not attempting to hit the ground and missing? There’s really no way for this to not happen to this peg.

Saminjutsu

My command that I just posted, what do you guys think?

“Katia, listen to Aggy. You need to be more flexible with your thinking.

It’s not a matter of HOW you should get the peg to move, its WHY the peg should move.

Maybe a giant invisible unicorn just happens to fly by and the force of its passing creates a vacuum that causes the peg to move.

Maybe the rock you are holding is ACTUALLY an eldritch artifact that was designed by THE ELDER GODS TO SPECIFICALLY MANIPULATE PEG LIKE WOODEN OBJECTS.

Maybe these voices you are hearing inside your head are actual gods of the world and if you asked them nicely they would move the peg for you.

Are these likely to be true? Probably not. Yes, they are highly improbable.

But here is the kicker: THEY ARE NOT IMPOSSIBLE. There is no reason that these COULDN’T happen. And that’s the key.

Believe in the improbable. Toe the line between rational and crazy.

Walk that thin line knowing that you can because instead of walking straight down it, you decide to turn it horizontally and realize that the next thin line that someone has to toe (say, between good and evil, black and white, taco and burrito) is right next to it and you can stand on both of them at the same time without falling off and shimmie sideways down the two of them.

BS the universe using its own rule book. No magic, no skill, no training. Just sheer luck/unluck and playing the system.

For instance:

You think the universe has it out for you? You think that EVERYTHING you do is wrong?

No longer THINK that, BELIEVE it. With all your being. KNOW it.

When you can achieve that level of understanding: Simply pick up the peg and drop it, knowing that you are such a screw-up that you will miss the ground so completely the peg will have no choice but to fall up.

(You can then try to fly by throwing yourself at the ground and, true to form, missing. The great Mystic Arthur Dent used it to great effect)”

tronn

That’s, like, way too long. Kaz wants a line or two at most.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Really?
So my five point plan to break into the mage’s guild and get our stuff back has no chance.
Has Kazerad ever revealed how he chooses commands?

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

words words words….

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

that said, this is a nice short essay to Katia.

anon

My reply was a bitsimilar, though much shorter.

It basically went along the lines of: “Why is the peg not moving? Because of the Laws of Physics? Why should it follow those laws, when there are numerous other options said peg could pick? Screw the laws. You’re such a fuck-up anyway that you could easily make a simple peg forget the laws of physics, yeah? (And then focus your magic on that).”

Pierre_of_Highrock

I just told her to hallucinate like she did at the picnic and picture another her moving the peg for her.

Gren

That was not an hallucination. The sandwich had a temporal detect life effect.

Pierre_of_Highrock

Not THAT picnic. The “picnic” with Lady Millona Umbranox. The dinner she went to and then promptly changed her perception of to suit her needs.

Wolfee

Yes
YES
A NEW PAGE!, KAZEKARD OR WHATEVER ITS SPELLED I LOVE YOU
…lets have a family shall we?

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

lol

Gage Garls

ok i actually understood that it makes a kind of sense. was it supposed to or did this make me go insane?

http://Galladorn.com SubOptimizer

Sheogorath must be the most powerful Mystic ever… or never. Time is relative.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I would agree, this story is a perfect example of out clevering brute force. Of course, Hircine probably would tell the story differently, or maybe just kill you if you asked.

Lillihandra

Is it bad that the crazy ghost is quickly becoming my favorite character in this comic?

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

every goddamn crazed uncle in films,books or games is always beloved by comunity.Sheogorath,Dr.Holofaust,Deadpool,Zaphod Beeblebrocx and that guy from Clockwork orange.Every one of them boys is crazed lunatic and every one of them is beloved.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

What can I say? I love me some crazy.

Carrnage

i might be posting a bit too many commands, but there’s just so many possible options!

Guest

Kazerad ==> make a patreon.

rogueSnail

Just me, testing out my gravatar.

rogueSnail

Alas, it works.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Alas?
You were hoping it didn’t?

Grimm

Whelp, if its okay with Kazerad I’d like to say something that sounds silly, but is very true. It relates to the story…kinda.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

You should hit him up on Steam! Or maybe Skype or AOL or something. He’d probably get back to you much more quickly.

Grimm

Well its just that…ah, screw it.

I just wanted to thank him for making this webcomic. I just recently had to change schools because literally all of my friends decided that I was an attention seeking whore (I’m a guy BTW) and they didn’t want me around anymore. Normally I’d just brush it off because I’ve delt with this since I started school, but knowing EVERYONE around you is laughing made me hit rock bottom and hard. I came so close to attempting suicide. That’s when I came across this. I read and I read. I saw Katia fall over and over again, but she still got back up. (Okay this is where it starts to sound weird) Despite the fact she’s a fictional character, she gave me the strength to get my life back on track.

Go ahead and laugh but I feel as though I have a connection with Katia. Oh, and if anybody makes one rude comment, I will hunt you down and make your life as miserable as possible.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

I can’t say whether I love or hate the fact that I’m here living through and identifying with this; your post/situation, Prequel, my situation, the fact that Kazerad is both brilliantly sympathetic and a manipulative bastard, all of it. There are just too many voices screaming in my head to know exactly which way I feel; I’m glad someone is not only going through something similar, but can convey it as well as you just did.

This is arguably pretty rude. Feel free to punish the mean motherfucker who posted it.

My voices are very complex. To make myself feel more comfortable, I made them into actual people in my head. Of course I couldn’t let them wander aimlessly throughout the void so I had to give them somewhere to stay. It became a whole facility.

Grimm

There is one little detail that I haven’t told you though…

Kaytavo

as do i and i must say they have really good ideas sometimes

Kaytavo

*makes one rude comment*

lol but srsly i think a majority of us feel a connection to katia of some sort (thats what makes this comic so popular) so there is no real reason to laugh at you about that

Grimm

Well *ahem* let’s just say mine is a bit unusual…

Grimm

Okay, I’ll say it. Due to the fact that basically everyone I know doesn’t like me because of the way I act, walk, or talk. I can never seem to find a friend or for that matter, a girlfriend. After learning about Katia’s personality…you know what, I think you can guess the rest.

You and me, we can be bros okay?
Together pursuing her! Although if it has to end with a fight to the death, I won’t fight you.

Jo khajiit

I too feel a rapport with Katia

Stray Cat Acid

From what I’ve seen he mostly leaves the comment section to its antics, only really stepping in to clarify assumptions and to fling snarky comments.

Fritts ShockTrooper

seeing as how the chances of getting picked for the In-put comments directed at Kat are extremely low, I find it amusing that its not just my in-put, but perhapes thousands or at least hundreds of comments not being picked, that perspective keeps my sanity intact i guess.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I would guess hundreds, I would be surprised if there were more commands than comments. At least I write more comments than commands, maybe I’m an outlier.
Out of curiosity, how long have you been submitting commands?

Keldor

Hmm – Shouldn’t it be Ja-Khajiit rather than Jo-Khajiit?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Maybe. Ja-Khajiit refers to someone who lacks experience, or a kitten, while Jo-Khajiit would refer to a wizard. Either would work since Katia is trying to be a wizard but lacks experience. I guess we could always ask, via command, which one Aggy was trying to say.

Jababa

ITS BACK!!! YES

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

ITS FRONT TOO!

Goldking

So… How do you suggest stuff for the comic?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Look for the, “Submit Commands,” Link in the sidebar, on the right.

Goldking

Ah K. Thanks.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

We really need a button or reminder or something right before the “disqus_thread” div. Not that people asking this question is getting tedious; it’s kind of fun to see new faces and I think asking where to submit a command breaks the ice around leaving comments. It’s just horriblyinefficient.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Is that a dark wizard beating a man to death with a spoon?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Yep, basically. :B Threw the link into that shiny oldest comment at the top.

Cobweb

Well, since you don’t mind silly questioning… how you put a link in a word like u did there in your post? I usually post the entire link, but it not so neat!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Putting links in requires the use of HTML tags.
For a link use <a href=website URL> then write the words you want to use as a link here </a> tells the system to stop transforming words into links and you can finish your message normally.

Also, the link provided leads to a website that defines the HTML tags that can be used.
Another thing to keep in mind is that these tags will not be displayed in a comment when used, in order to make them show up in my comment to you I had to modify them with other tags so that they no longer looked like HTML tags to the system.

So in order to provide the example I actually typed
as an example, <<em>a href=http://help.disqus.com/customer/portal/articles/466253-what-html-tags-are-allowed-within-comments </em>> example <<em>/a</em>.
Becomes <a href=http://help.disqus.com/customer/portal/articles/466253-what-html-tags-are-allowed-within-comments> example</a>.

Cobweb

Thanks man, now I get it. I’m not that bad with HTML, but I not used to forums that much…

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Looks like JJR’s got this one, nicely done. We were talking about this just a few days ago if you care for a look, but everything you need to know is already in the above post. Or below it, if you’re a superior being (like my good self) and sort comments by newest.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Ok, I don’t know how many times I’ve looked at this update, but I only just noticed that panel three is animated. How do I miss these things?

Rob

You clearly haven’t mastered the art of staring. I studied it for four years and I’m still noticing new details every time I read a page. It’s all in the iris.

No, seriously, the little details I didn”t notice the first (four) time(s) just blow me away. I’m rereading everything now and realizing that I missed every single flame that popped up after cat jokes prior to the Ayleid ruin incident. And, if you didn’t notice, a fire pops up EVERY time a cat joke is told. I guess it was kind of obvious with comments like “That cat burn was so sick it lit the candle”… I’m kinda slow.

gasjdhbahsd

welp go to scotland and listen to the wind in the caves then win..

Enryu57

The problem is that you’re trying to move the peg. Move everything else.

Onix

I just had the craziest dream In which i was a Mandalorian. Katia was my partner and she wore diapers. It was all sorts of fucked up.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

I’d suggest decaf next time. Brains aren’t supposed to do that; mine keeps making this weird grinding noise whenever I try to imagine what your dream could’ve possibly been like.

Also, you know that Extra-Funtime Purple Juice you can always find under your sink? Yeah… that’s cough syrup. Might want to lay off that as well. :{

Goldking

I hear that there is a chemical in Apple Juice which makes you have crazy vivid memorable dreams. Could be that maybe

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Oh, that makes more sense.

Of course, that chemical is called alcohol, and that Juice is less Apple and more Hard Cider.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Wait, wait, wait…
So Cider does animations and hallucinations.
Yeah, I guess that makes sense.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Well duh; rhyming makes anything make more sense. I mean, if the ends of two words sound alike, it’s pretty obvious that they’re connected in someway. It’s an elementary law of the universe, like, think law of gravity, except for rhyming. Even kids know this.

The moral of this comic? Keep the big sad yellow thing away from the skinny long yellow things. Obviously Kazerad has been waiting for us to come to this realization; let us celebrate our triumph over his cunning by submitting several dozen commands warning Katia about the dangers of banana addiction.

Stray Cat Acid

Weird. You know how when you follow a comment section, Disqus is supposed to send an email whenever a new comment is posted? Well, sometimes I get that email right after a comment is posted, and sometimes I get it days after the fact.

Anybody else experiencing this? The inconsistency is irritating.

EDIT: Like, within literal seconds of posting this I got the email. Very confusion. Much sick of doge meme.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Wait, I thought e-mails were sent when people responded to you. I don’t think I have ever gotten a notification of a new comment being posted.

Edit: So do you have press the favorite button, or something else?

Stray Cat Acid

I twiddled with mine; it’s in the settings somewhere. I see aaaall the comments. :B (sometimes I like to pretend I’m Kazerad, pressing his little moderator buttons while wearing his extra-special moderator vest (with his matching sock ‘n sandal combo, of course))

…wait, so if you haven’t been getting the emails, and you’re still as much the sexy posting fiend as you are…
o.O

Do you check this thread like every five minutes?!? How do you maintain such dedication??? How do you even find new comments, reread the entire thread?? I mean, wow, take the prize, you definitely deserve this win; now it feels like I’ve been cheating this whole time. Course, I am the villain, so I guess that’s kind of a No Shit Sherlock situation, but still.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I don’t check that often, I think. I think it’s mainly because prequel is the only comment area that I am very interested in at the moment.
Also, ‘extra special moderator vest.” Does that give a bonus to two handed weapons, for the banhammer?

Last thing, “Stray Cat Acid.” Is that supposed to be the acid from a stray cat, or the stray acid from an unmodified cat? And as long as I’m asking about your user name is that a Lewis Acid , a Bronsted Acid or maybe something more fun

I’ve been pondering that myself for quite some time; I’m thinking it’s ‘Stray Cat-Acid’, like it’s gonna hit’cha in teh face if you’re not careful, rather than ‘Stray-cat Acid’, which would be some sort of Brønsted–Lowry based Cat-B-Gone solution, cause who the hell uses Lewis’s definition of an acid? Though sad cats are ridiculously addictive, so maybe the last is the most appropriate.

Now it’s your turn in the chair with the bright light: What’s JJR stand for? I’ve held this burning curiosity for far too long.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

You need to be careful with that ‘curiosity’ stuff around here, lest you hurt Katia.
As to the answer it’s just my initials.

Stray Cat Acid

It’s in [Edit Settings] which kicks you over to the Disqus site, wherein you click this little checkbox that then auto-subscribes to any thread you comment on. There’s also a little Subscribe link at the bottom of every comment section.

Huh. Looks like there should be an RSS link for Disqus down there too, but maybe it’s disabled?? I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask Kazerad when he’s finished with his precious TF2Time, maybe not.

Ravan

Anybody here?..

Stray Cat Acid

Well, now, yes. Sup?

Ravan

Just first time here and have a few questions. Can you help?

Stray Cat Acid

Gladly. :B What would you like to know?

Ravan

Well, let’s start with the fact that my English is very weak. So I hope the translator did not distort my thoughts… ᴗ_ᴗ
1. How often in the history of comics moving forward?
2. What is the probability that your actions be in the story?
3. Comic authors might be interested in the introduction of a new character, which will take place in the story and will often overlap with the main character?

Stray Cat Acid

I’ll try to use simple English then.

1. The comic has one author; his name is Kazerad. He gives us the next part of the comic, or updates the comic, when he thinks it is ready. This usually happens every two weeks, but in the past five months Kazerad’s life has been very busy, and the comic has only updated every month. He’s sad that it’s so slow; he’s trying to get faster.

2. The way to have your actions be in the story, or get Kazerad to select your command, is to give Kazerad a lot of actions! :} Kazerad hasn’t told us how many commands are given to him for each update, but we think it isn’t more than the comments, so I would guess Kazerad gets less than a hundred commands every update. There’s a very good chance that your command will get in, especially if it’s funny or weird. Like really weird; try to make Kazerad’s brain hurt. {&
The best commands are the kind that make Kazerad say ‘Huh. Never thought of that, that’d be kind of cool to draw…’

3. If I understand your question correctly, and you’re asking if Kazerad will put somebody else’s character in the story, he hasn’t done this in the past (besides, you know, this entire comic being based around other people’s characters). But if you have an idea of a character you would like to see in the story, be excited! We, the fans of Prequel, lovefan fiction. Love it. So write us a story with your character, or draw us an awesome picture! We totally love it.

I hope this is easy to understand. If you don’t mind me asking, what languages do you speak?

Ravan

1. Sad to hear it… And what exactly the problem the author, he did not say? Simply, I do not think it really hard drawing…

2. Well, I’m not a big fan of mental pain, so I’ll stick with sound logic… But if my thoughts will be ignored for too long, then I’ll join the path of insanity.

3. I’m bad artist… But if we talk about the stories that… Let’s just say they are… unusual. And yet, what do you mean by “write to us”?

My native language – Russian, although I ‘m learning English and doing it quite well, but it is still difficult to speak or write confidently. x_x

Stray Cat Acid

You’re right about the drawing being easier. The part of the comic that takes time is the writing. It’s hard to write as skillfully as Kazerad does. Also, Kazerad has had all kinds of things happen in the past half of a year; people have died, he’s helped a few friends through depression, he won a few contests, and his internet got knocked out. He’s found a few people to help with the drawing, but he’s still kind of limited to himself with the writing.

Yisss, join the path of insanity, only the craziest will survive, mwahaha…

By “write to us”, I mean write a story and give it to us. And unusual is the best kind! Now I’m really curious, what kind of story would you like to write?

Ravan

I get it.

We’ll see…

Well, at first planned to create a character to help Kate… In her dreams… But then there is glitters and ghost. So it was not necessary. And now remained only option to create a Breton born under the sign of apprentices. Something like this, although I still do not think it is possible for him to be in the story…

I even pulled out some flash elements from comics and began to create mine, but abandoned the project…

Gren

*cough* Stephane *cough*

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Stephane does not seem likely to help Katia, unless we somehow convince him that she is a mythical hero.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

The solution? Katia must duel Sigrid to the death over the affection of Stephane. It’s the classic gender-reversed love triangle drama.
Oh, and one of them is a cat.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Oh, and one of them is a cat.

Isn’t that normal in Cyrodilic love triangle dramas?

Gren

Is that or lusty argonian maids.

Gren

That can be arranged. *working on future commands*

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

If he knew that Katia has been getting the same dream of divine origin for most of her life, that might help. But his criteria involves having Fate had things to you on a silver platter, and being at ease in everything that you do. I don’t think those terms describe Katia very well.

Gren

Well, if you’ve played the game then you should know that Sigrid is no big deal. She barely escaped when the invasion began and Stephane wasn’t with her which means he’s either dead or decided to follow Katia instead.
He already knows that she is an Atronach and that’s pretty rare among people what makes her kind of special (in the good way). She only has to prove him (and herself) that she’s not a disposable, expendable cat. And what a better way to prove it than beating Sigrid in her own game on her own ground. I’m sure Sigrid’s fate is determined by luck just like Gharug and Dmitri. But Katia’s fate is far from that since there’s a higher being messing with her life.

Ravan

What?

Gren

You were asking for a Breton mage so I thought Stephane fits the profile. Thus, there’s no need to add a new character, we just have to convince him.

1- Please don’t speak to me in Russian and I won’t speak to you in Spanish.

2- It was confirmed here.
Sigrid: … Don’t mind his douchiness; being a Breton, he’s probably just huffy at the idea he might be the third best mage in this room.

Ravan

My English suck…

Gren

Yeah mine too. I’m just doing my best to not sound like a caveman. Perhaps that’s the reason why my commands haven’t been selected yet? Is that or I’m just terrible to come up with commands. I think I prefer to believe the first one is the actual reason. ಥ_ಥ

Ravan

Understood.
Hmm … Do you really think that Stefan can be … good?

Gren

Yes, he may be mean and snide but that’s the way he is. He has good intentions and that’s why he decided to be a priest in a chapel instead of a cultist in a daedric shrine. He also wants to turn Sigrid into a good person and has entrusted that mission to Katia. If things get ugly for Katia I’m sure he’ll give her a hand somehow. You don’t need to have a creepy smile in your face to be a good person, you know.

AndyW

Heh, I’m not so sure that Stephane’s good. Stephane just likes to think he’s good.

“Yeah, my hero is a sadistic petty thief, but she’s really scary, being a Hero and all, and I’m not going to risk my skin standing up to her, because I’m so special that I can make her do good things (just not special enough to actually make her do this good thing). But you’re just a fleabag nobody who can be trashed in the name of the greater good.”

Never think that anybody is good who thinks they’re indispensable but others are disposable. Because they’ll do anything to anybody, for any or no reason.

Ravan

One more thing.

If I Submit command for Katie, it should appear somewhere?

dtlux14

I can’t wait for update. And I also remember that great time when I was the only one without a default picture, and that made me special. I miss that time

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Me too! I mean the update part, I never got to be one of those special fancy-pants with the only profile pic to be seen in the entire thread.

I’m still pretty special though. Sometimes it makes me randomly laugh. Which makes me more special.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I’m still pretty special though. Sometimes it makes me randomly laugh. Which makes me more special.

Everyone was a soldier, then here I come with a picture of Katia. Welp, 11:15 on a school nigh, good night to you sir.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Maybe you should go back to the default, so that you can stand out again.

dtlux14

Nah, I like this picture. Also, it would just seem like one picture in many, because it was all one picture before, but now it is many I wish I could read for a whole 11 days again without knowing what would happen, but then I’d need to not read for 3 years. Can’t wait for an update.

IHaveNeverPostedHereBefore

Why not leave the peg where it is, and move everything else down? Like everything. Like the entire universe.

Psithief

Heh.

“IHaveNeverPostedHereBefore” you say? Unfortunately for you, three others have already failed to find the ‘Submit Command‘ form with the exact same suggestion.

OK. Can someone please tell me what the hell did I do wrong in here! The link got screwed up… shit!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

You need to start with <a href=http://s28.photobucket.com/user/cybermasterdza/media/LiftIt_zps81d7a9da.gif.html>
then type the words you want to act as a link
then end with </a>

Cobweb

I correct the earlier statement I’ve made… I don’t know #@%*& of HTML!

Thank’s man.

Cobweb

I mean thanks man… I don’t know shit of English either!

pheonixflyer13

This got updated a week ago? Where have I been?
Katia, use the fuck-upery! You have been training for this your whole life!

Skyrimian

The submit command thing isn’t working for me.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Is the link not working or the command not submitting? Because I just tried and it worked.
I ask because, if you can’t get it to work you could put it in a comment, then I’ll post it for you.

HahnDragoner523

Your mistake is that you are trying to move the pug in the first place. You are trying too hard. Don´t try to lift the pug with your mind. Make the pug lift by itself BECAUSE of your mind.

Ravan

Done.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I’m getting that urge to start speculating wildly again. So here it goes.
I think that the Oblivion Crisis is about to happen. Why? because things are looking up for our Sad Cat; To me this means that the downside is about to hit her. As to why I think that downside will take the form of a daedric invasion, mostly it’s because we say those shady characters when Aggy was on his way to Kvatch. Also Katia met that cultist at the gate and I find it hard to believe that he was there on the wrong week.
I do think we still have time to rob Sigrid though. I think that’s inevitable because she has a responsibility of 100 in the game. At some point Stephane will convince her to be nicer.

Ravan

JJR: …At some point Stephane will convince her to be nicer.

Why it seems to me that everything would be contrary…

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Like I said, in the game Sigrid is an NPC with 100 points in the mercantile skill, we have already seen that. She also has 100 points in the responsibility variable. This means, in the game, she will report crimes that she sees and will not steal things. Given that she is perfectly willing to steal things now she is not like she is in the game. I just think that at some point she will be.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

BRILLIANT. T.T

Rob

I didn’t even notice that cultist’s robes. It might have just been another little reference to the game, or foreshadowing… it kind of works with the Black Horse Courier article you can find in the Argonians’ house, “THE DRAGONFIRES LOOK FINE TO ME!” This hypothesis is viable.

Then again, if there’s any point where things will actually turn around for Katia, it’s here. All that’s standing between her and success is the things Sigrid took, and if she unlocks her powers (and I don’t see how she won’t, with the time that’s already been put in with Aggy) I think that’s entirely possible. Also, I think it’s too soon for her to crash and burn again.

I think if she can finally get her magic under control, it’ll give her the confidence she needs. She’ll be able to defend herself, get her stuff back, get in with the (real) mages guild, and find work. But what I think is going to become the real focus in the coming pages will be the source of her dreams. While I was rereading the whole part where she was learning about the Captian’s experience with Vaermina, I couldn’t help but think that a LOT of time was put into that, and that it hinted to a bigger conflict coming. As we know, the dreams are kind of the root cause of her current situation, and I think it would be very fitting for those to be taken care of.

OR, perhaps it’s Mehrunes Dagon BEHIND the dreams because he knows Katia could stop him. Or something. Yeah, how’s that for hypothesizing?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I agree that it’s too soon for things to crash and burn. After getting our stuff back and winning the dance competition, then things will be high enough to crash. I don’t think there is going to a point where things turn around for Katia, where she starts winning all the things. Instead I think the ‘up’ parts and the ‘down’ parts will get more extreme.
I do agree that exploring the source of the dreams are probably going to be important relatively soon. I have seen some speculation that they mark her as the Oblivion hero, and the Emperor is having scary dreams of being trapped in a room with a Khajiit.
My own thoughts on the dreams. They appear to be very harmful to the people who have them. They ruined Katia’s life and seem to have isolated Captain Atrum from his friends. So I think the purpose of the dreams is to be debilitating, not helpful.
Of course the place I am starting from is one where there will be no player hero. Partly because prequel is a webcomic, not a video game. Partly because I don’t think Kazerad would want to follow the main story of Oblivion; at least, it seems less interesting to me as a reader. I also think that that cultist was not there early, a whole week early is a little hard for me to believe. In my opinion, he was there on time, it’s just that the invasion was postponed on account of the Emperor not being dead yet. I expect that those shady characters are working on a plan B.
Of course, the thing that I am expecting is some sort of crash. That the crash will take the form of the crisis is me going really far out on a limb. The other scenario I had in mind was getting caught be ASOTIL while robbing Sigrid and getting all our stuff taken away, again, and thrown in prison.
The other thing I have been thinking about in regards to the Oblivion crisis is that the webcomic is called Prequel. If the gates open though, it’s not really a prequel anymore.
Last thought; maybe some one needs to submit a command for the crisis to start before it will actually start.

Edit: Also your hypothesizing was great.

Another edit: Just submitted a command for the Oblivion crisis to start, under the name Merrunz Ja’Khajiit. Don’t think anything will come of it, but why not.

Rob

Well, on your comment about the highs and lows becoming more extreme – I disagree simply based on the last low. She’s two days without drinking (after two days with, correct me if I’m wrong on either) and while she crashed after the Mage’s guild she still turned down a bottle of booze and her powers went fucking crazy. Crazy enough to show that if she could just control them, she’d be an ossum mage. And now she’s learning to do do just that, from an expert*. While it may be worse for her, for now, I see them as less extreme.

Edit – Also, on the subject of magic and her lows, I feel like all it’ll take to pull her out of this is a little confidence. I feel like if she just has something to believe in herself with – such as wicked magical abilities, which, again, I feel like they’re going to be hella wicked – she’ll start to really avoid these ruts, or be less affected by them. She may have been really excited to go see Sigrid, but let’s remember this is still just after she spent hours hanging by a thread in a well a few inches away from some slaughterfish. Basically I’m saying magic ability might really empower her enough to do some things right for a change. Yeah, she’ll still have lows (especially if there’s some epic antagonist behind the dreams) but maybe they won’t be as bad.

On the cultist and the Oblivion crisis – okay, let’s consider that the story is most definitely a “prequel” and will probably end as soon as she’s stable and all. Assuming that the story is actually going somewhere and not a massive troll – based on the quality of the whole damned thing I refuse to believe it’s all about making Katia miserable. Anyway, it’s then conceivable that this is the prequel to the story of Oblivion – Katia basically sorting out her shit prior to that. It’s actually the only thing I can think of for this to be a prequel to – then again, I’m not writing the story. Anyway, in this case, it would figure that the story would end as soon as the Oblivion crisis starts, because we already know that one. And then it would no longer be the prequel.

However, I feel that the cultist’s presence was probably just a little easter egg of sorts. I can’t say for sure, of course, but here’s my reasoning – assuming that Katia isn’t the hero of Kvatch and all that jazz, it would kind of consume the story if Katia became involved with the Oblivion crisis in any way, including just being there for it. Like I said, I see the dreams and whomever may be causing them to be the upcoming focus of the story, perhaps even the ultimate antagonist.

Another edit – on the dreams, they affected a potentially wicked awesome mage and the CAPTAIN of the guard in Kvatch. Both of whom are potentially powerful players in Kvatch around the time some Mythic Dawn cultists are gathering there. Coincidence? Perhaps not.

*Expertise may have deteriorated due to ghost insanity. While ghost insanity may indeed affect quality of magic training, we do not consider it a valid cause for refund or reassignment of a different trainer. We are sorry if this causes you inconvenience. We hope you enjoy your training and reach your dreams of magic mastery!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I would argue that having her powers run out of control and burn most of the stuff in the Chapel is worse than the two times she got drunk.

Edit: it also seems worse to me because of the nightmare she had that night.

All the stuff about this being a prequel to the Oblivion story makes sense. It would be rather straightforward for Katia to get her stuff together, then somehow end up in the Imperial city prison. Then the webcomic ends as the main story from Oblivion begins.
On the other paw, Kazerad’s most recent Tumblr post says that Transistor was too straightforward. After reading that, I am expecting some sort of twist to happen, or for the story to go off in some unexpected direction.

Rob

There’s always a twist. I’m considering it a possibility and nothing more. In any case, I just see progress.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Oh. Oh WOAH, I didn’t realize like, any of this. O.o

You two might be the most brilliant two people out of the entire Prequel fan base. Seriously, the amount of insight/sheer wit in this thread is brain-melting. Just, your jobs are to keep putting the words on my screen, ‘kay? C: It’d make me so happy…

Rob

Brilliant is not a word I ever expect to be referred to as. I’m just saying it like I see it.

Your job is to make sure I never use the word “hella” again. If I do you are authorized to shoot me.

Livn Lern

It kinda fits that these dreams are meant to prevent her from ever meeting the emperor or any other royalty of the bloodline to prevent her from being given the amulet and thus stop her from being the hero the world needs. While it’s possible that she will straight up become that hero anyway after a long and painful journey, it is also possible that that fate is stolen away from her but taken on by a new hero in her place. It’s even possible she is the one who ensures that someone is there to take that task on themselves whether it’s something she decides herself or if she has to make a sacrifice of some sort. There’s no telling what our little Katina will do and we, for all intents and purposes, ARE her.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Kind of a wild ride, isn’t it? HAHA, understatement of the century, especially when you begin to grasp just how very many ways this little unassuming commiseration can apply. The meta-think around this comic is boggling.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

The meta-think around this comic is boggling.

I recently found myself comparing Khajiit racial stats from the various Elder Scrolls games to see which one fits Katia best.

I don’t know about brilliant, the more I try to put my thoughts to words the more muddled they feel. That’s probably just because I really, really want my super-duper radiant A.I. theory to be true. But I am thinking that Bob is right, and this is a Prequel to the Oblivion story. Of course, In the short term I expect that we need to finish our ghost training and go rob Sigrid, regardless of what Prequel is.

Edit: is there any way to use multiple HTML tags on the same chunk of text?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

From my experimentation, some tags play nicely with each other when they’re in a specific order and some don’t. Maybe just fiddle with it until it works? I dunno.

I’ve found having a comment sandbox where you can post a test version to see how it looks, then twiddle with it without the entire world seeing, is handy.

And you guys are far too humble! You probably spend inordinate chunks of time crafting such brilliant wit, and your literary skills are deliciously impressive. :} I can’t tell you how many times I’ve burst out laughing, or fallen back in my chair wide eyed. Oh man, hella. Still makes me chuckle. And of course Kazerad is going to give us some crazy twist, why didn’t I think of that?? He basically confirmed it in his tumbler post.

Actually, I did break my arm, and was subsequently exposed to skeleton revealing x-rays.

Vince

Loved it, but I gotta say that the animations by Cider didn’t look much like Katia. Face proportions and the way she was mocked up, it was too obviously a different artist for my taste, and I don’t think he captured her personality. It looked too much like HIS style and like his other art – can he duplicate you a little more closely?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Which panels were Cider vs Kazerad, I can’t tell.

Gren

Me neither. I think he’s just being a bit picky. >_>
I’ll be happy so long the updates come faster. Though I’m sure the delay has nothing to do with the art but with the writing. At least most of the time.

Rob

I think it’s just the nature of these silly panels. And, I gotta say, I LOVE ‘EM.

There are more up-close shots in general, though, which I like.

http://aluckart.deviantart.com/ Kamaru1991

she is cute

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I agree, that spider is cute.

Rob

Spiders are adorable. Especially those little jumping spiders that are so afraid of me.

I give them a raise every six months and a whole month of paid time off each year, plus a pension. They go on strike every few years but fortunately it’s not too difficult to rehire.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Ok, but how do you stop them from, you know… unionizing.

Rob

I cut off their collective bargaining rights at the same time that I threw a big company party for them and their families. They loved it, and most of them didn’t even hear about the changes until afterwards.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

LOL

Ravan

Question: If I Submit command for Katie, it should appear somewhere?

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

Answer: Only if the comics maker and lovely god Kazerad thinks that it fits the page/situation. and even then he might not use it. So yes, possibly. and if so, then you are lucky and/or able to write commands well.

Ravan

Question: Sacrifice accepted?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

That is… not an angle I think anyone here has ever considered. I don’t know.

Ravan

Question: What do you think I mean by sacrifice?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I think it was a reference to HuffingtontheOnly calling Kazerad a, “lovely god.”

The other thing I can think that you might have meant would be giving money. And that is after I put, ‘sacrifice’ through Google translate and found жертвовать as a possible translation that also means, “donate,” “give,” or “contribute.”

Ravan

Well, it’s not quite what I had in mind…

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

What did you have in mind?

Ravan

Well, I did another flash clip of Katie’s nightmare…

Only the word “did” is not really appropriate here …
Most of the items I picked up from the second dream.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

So you mean fan art? Sorry I don’t know how that works. I only know that it can be found here.

Ravan

Well, I thought the fan-art and fan-flash are two different things …

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

So where is this potentially tasty flash clip? It sounds amazing, I love the weird fan made stuff.

Deluxxe

this story speaks to me.

really loved the flash about solving the puzzle.

http://aluckart.deviantart.com/ Kamaru1991

I am looking forward to how it goes

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I’ve been trying to take Aggy’s advise to heart and remembering forward to see how it will have gone. So far I only remember a very angry Khajiiti bartender in the near future, and even that is a little… fuzzy.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

hey Cider why u no longer have deviantart account?I was checking your art an POF!i found out you gone….

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Man, I hope he’s doing okay. He’s been going through more tough times lately, I wish he could grasp just how many people are blown away by how talented of an artist he is. The man has some serious skill, and has had a shitty life. Welp, he’s got the respect and support of at least one person; a maniacal internet-dweller by the name of CardiacTasty. B]

He’ll probably come back and when he’s back on top, his creations will wow and amaze even more than they did before. Cider’s just cool like that.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

Hey….I…Um…Its wierd?I tought Cider was girl…..Its funny how people confuse webcomic maker’s gender all the time….Well at least here i seen it multiple times.

An average Joe

This comic has some of the most quotable, questionably inspiring lines of any comic I’ve ever read. Kudos to you, you glorious Man/Woman/Unidentified Cryptid X3

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Kazerad is most likely a dude, at least Tronn calls Kazerad a dude here and Kazerad does not disagree.

However I would also point out that I have only ever heard Kazerad speak in meows. Was it really because his fans wanted a song in only meows, or maybe meowing is the only vocalization that Kazerad can make.

It would make perfect sense given the focus of the comic. Kazerad is an Alfiq.

RastaMV

I once killed a man with a spoon. Again. And again…And again…And again…And again…And again.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

AndagainAndagainAndagainAndagain. And again. And again. And again.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

… and again, and again, and again and again and

(The spoon finally breaks
relief is seen on his face
open coat, more spoons)

…and again and again and again and… andagainandagainandagain…

alice

imagine the peg is a bird. the peg is just a weird looking bird. and all birds fly, there is not any conceivable reason why they cant fly. defy all laws of physics and reason and believe with your whole being that this peg is the exact same as a bird and should therefore fly up in the air.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Commands should be submitted at this link, Submit command. It can be found on the sidebar, on the right, under, “Extras.”

I mean, seriously, you’re out in the cold rain, now the cold snow. I’m sure you’re coming down with something.

Something that’ll stop up your nose.

Something that’ll make you not smell the bug pheromones that Guild Bitchleader is slinging out.

Also:

>Katia: Check your cycle.

If the guild leader is using mating pheromones to increase her charm, and you’re in heat, your natural disposition would be to attack any potential detractors to your genetics. Embrace Atavism!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Commands should be submitted at this link, Submit command. It can be found on the sidebar, on the right, under, “Extras.” Not in the comments section.

Gildedtongue

Ah, my bad. New at this!

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

We’ve actually had this problem for 3 years now. That’s a little, um, surprising? Disappointing? It’s almost like there’s some ulterior motive here, another little test Kazerad is administering…

Psithief

Quick, find a Day-0 exploit for WordPress so we can hack into prequeladventure.com and insert a big flashing explanatory sign!

M’aiq the Liar

M’aiq is unsure if Khajiit have heat in the way you suggest… There are many kinds of khajiit and M’aiq is sure they work in different ways, but Khajiit like Katia and M’aiq are probably don’t function that way. As for the cold, warm fur does wonders and Katias is fluffy indeed.

Sheogorath

Try swallowing a soul gem, that’ll fix everything. Always does.

Sheogorath

KILL SOMEONE ALREADY!!!

Sheogorath

Try doing it wrong on purpose, think of all the mystical magical ways you can fuck shit up, then try them all till something happens.

Sheogorath

Maybe mysticism is anger based for you. Get right pissed!!! Fuck shit up!!! You know you’re no good at anything! You’re a complete and utter fuck up who is useless and untrustworthy. You’ll never be able to do anything with your life. Just give up, you know you just can’t do it. You’ve never been able to do anything right that actually made a positive difference in the world and you never will. You are a disgrace to your very race and by the nine you should’ve killed yourself long ago. It’s a shock you haven’t on accident. So give up little Khajiit, you can’t win, you have no place on Nirn. You can’t win this internal conflict with yourself because either way… You’ll lose.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

If these were supposed to be commands they should be submitted at this link, Submit command. It can be found on the sidebar, on the right, under, “Extras.” Not in the comments section.

YC aSadCatTri? I<3ta CYrCatSad

Finally, another voice with a modicum of sense. I wonder, how much persuasion will cure our little Khajiit of her rosy view? How much truth can we gift her before this trembling animal accepts the flaw in her hope? As with any belief, little slutcat, when there are whispers in the back of your mind, pernicious little thoughts that make you so very uneasy, they carry the truth one knows to be correct but refuses to accept.

You’re lying to yourself. You know your best is less than other’s average; the truth is you are literally worth less. How could you expect to be entitled to the same opportunities as someone who wouldn’t fuckup anything given them, when others are already more valuable than you? It isn’t that hope itself is bad; we just need to be reasonable in what we hope for. And it isn’t that life isn’t fair; life is always fair. Your life just matters less.

Poor, miserable fuckup; poor, poor, sad cat. Worthless and hopeless, for you are worth less and will hope less. Submit to this, and we’ll make it hurt less. But by all means, feel free to continue; we quite enjoy seeing you cry from the pain.

Rob

That’s it. I’m going to write a very stern letter with a generally upset yet professional tone to Kaz for his negligence in regards to his free webcomic, citing our emotional distress due to the slow (but never less frequent than monthly) updates as cause for guilt and shame on his part. I will demand that he quit his job or whatever source of income he may have and isolate himself from friends and family in order to allow me to read Prequel updates as often as possible. I will calmly but firmly inform him that I expect and deserve at least weekly updates, regardless of the physical and emotional costs on his part, and finish said letter with a terrible ultimatum: should he fail to update the webcomic weekly, I will talk nonstop shit about him on his very own website, influencing ALL of his readers to join the crusade against him for the sake of the kitty we love.
Hang on, Prequel readers. Changes are coming.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

that makes me wonder; just what does Kaz do for a living? I know at least some things about most comic makers I follow, but Kaz is a mystery….

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Don’t you see, Kazerad is secretly an Alfiq . It all makes sense, It makes all the sense.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

no… Maybe a Dagi. cause he would need to understand magic to write about it.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Well starting from the most basic, we know that Kazerad is Khajiit of some sort. Here we see Tronn revealing information about Kazerad. This information is sort that one would learn about by meeting someone in person. Kazerad says Tronn is wrong on one thing, Kazerad does not own sandals, but does not say any of the other information is wrong. How could Tronn be right about the vests, but wrong about the sandals. If Tronn does not know Kazerad then it would be unlikely to be right about the vests; but if he did know Kazerad he would be unlikely to make the sandals mistake. The answer is that Tronn knows a human who pretends to be Kazerad to fool fans. He pretends to like vests because Kazerad actually likes vests. However this pretender wears footwear (including sandals) because he has human feet; whilst Kazerad’s Khajiiti paws do not need (and probably feel uncomfortable inside) footwear. Hence the disconnect between Tronn seeing, “Kazerad” wearing sandals and Kazerad not owning sandals.
We also have your observations that Kazerad is quite mysterious and secretive. These traits go right back to the creation myth of the Khajiit. This theory also helps explain why the main character of this webcomic is a Khajiit.

As to what kind of Khajiit Kazerad is, I still think he is Alfiq. For one, he can understand language well enough but cannot speak; restricted to meowing instead. Alfiq are the only form of Khajiit that this applies to. Secondly it gives us the answer to the slowness of updates. Kazerad as Alfiq does not have opposable thumbs, this means a lack of manual dexterity that would cause all his tasks to take longer. Dagi, on the other paw, live in the tress; I would expect them to have enough dexterity in just their tails to draw comics rather quickly.

Lastly, you mentioned magical ability. This story indicates that, not only are Alfiq magically inclined, but have more magical ability than the Dagi.

Edit:
Just thought of something else. It would seem that an Alfiq should be able to use magic to make up for the lack of opposable thumbs, a seeming weakness in my theory that slow updates are indicative of an Alfiq. However by thinking like a witchhunter I realized that the comic used to update at a faster pace. So Kazerad was using magic to help with the comic but has run out of magicka. In other words, Kazerad is an Alfiq born under the sign of the Atronach.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Wow, I feel somewhat terrible for expecting so much from what’s essentially a glorified house cat. No wonder this story is filled with so much emotional suffering! The pretender Kazerad probably forces the real Kazerad to slave away for hours, chaining him to the desk until he does his bizarre little cat-dance over the keys to type out the next update, and maniacally cackles over the cruel irony as Kazerad pushes the mouse around with the button taped down to draw each frame, crying his kitty tears while bleeding a little from the sore spot on his nose. When the pretender finally allows him sleep, Kazerad curls up and despairs that not only has his message hidden in the words ‘sad cat’ yet to be understood as pleas for help, but that the internet seems to be laughing at his awful plight.

I also took it to this website to play around with it a little more, I did not find any pleas for help.

That being said I did discover that it was really tedious and I’m not doing it again.

Edit: Also, “glorified houscat?” That’s racist… I think.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Mwahahahahaha, feel Kazerad’s pain!! Empathize with his terrible situation and know he can do nothing to escape! His only hope is for you to save him, and yet you toss him aside, labeling his suffering as mere ‘whimsical theory’! Is Kazerad nothing more than an animal to you?? The pretender rips out chunks of his fur any time the pretender must apologize via the comment section for any tiny mistake made by the slightly dyslexic kitty-Khajiiti-Kazerad, and yet you scoff when that same dyslexia prevents him from encrypting his message in anything more than metaphor! Oh, how his tiny Alfiq heart hopes for some future day without even a single beating, for someone to be his rescuer and his friend, but it’s crushing how no one seems to care. Maybe… maybe he just isn’t worth it. Maybe he really is just a cat, nothing worth saving.

Besides, cats and sads are just so tasty together! And kudos to you for clicking through every update in order to grab those first letters. That does sound pretty tedious, but I have been curious, so I’m glad someone took the time to do so.

Edit: Hmmm, I may or may not have completely subverted your neat idea using laughably fallacious reasoning. Sorry if I’ve tainted your speculations mwahaha jk I’m happy it made you sad. :{

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

So many sads its painful, luckily it does not make sense. It’s not the pretender that leaves comments on the internets.If it were there would have never been that sandal confusion, an important piece of evidence revealing Kazerad’s Alfiqine nature.

No, the pretender was hired by the real Kazerad. Also I checked for more hidden messages in the titles of the updates, easier because they are all on one page. I didn’t do this before because almost all of them start with a characters name, mainly Katia; but then I used the first letter that is not part of a name. I got this.

I do find myself wondering about hidden messages in works like this. It seems like they would either be so easy to find that everyone knows about them, or so hard that no one does. Add to that the fact that, well, how often do people look for encoded messages in random pieces of literature. I just did, but this is a first.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Now this, this is interesting. If I were to provide some convoluted logic neatly justifying this carefully crafted emotional gut-punch, how many more crippling feels would it be capable of? Would there be enough to, say, rule the world??

Oh, wait, maybe the mechanic here isn’t necessarily that more factual credibility increases emotional ability, but that a lack of a suitable amount of sense disrupts the sads from sticking as deep. Pity, though enlightening. I suppose this means I’ll need to be more careful with weaving conceivable grains of truth into my devious lies in the future.

Keep in mind, this is Kazerad we’re talking about. It’s almost a given that, with several years of updates, he’d want to at least try hiding something tasty in the pages of his webcomic. I wouldn’t be too surprised if he even changed a few of the older updates to carry hints of Prequel’s potential plotline. I mean, who wouldn’t want to do something like that?? It’d be AWESOME.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

When you told me to, “Keep in mind, this is Kazerad…” I didn’t know what that meant. However I just came here from playing Oblivion. Specifically the battle for Kvatch, and I saw the chair. You know, the one facing the wall for criminals to sit in and think about what they did. I was so distracted that the imps got me. But now I have to wonder how many fiddly little details like that are crammed into the comic. Hell, how many references are there to Daggerfall that I’m missing because I haven’t played it yet.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Only that Kazerad is a manipulative bastard who’s primary motivation in continuing this carefully ‘heartfelt’ comic is to abuse its excellent syndication qualites thereby allowing him to administer incredibly vast psychological and emotional experiments. The brilliant thing is, no matter how many times he explains this, people refuse to believe it. He’s mastered the underlying mechanics so deeply that people continue believing that the card really did just disappear, even after he shows them how the trick works. It’s beautiful. T.T

That’s what keeps me coming back, at least. Sure, something something sad cat, oh how we feel for her, boohoo, boohoo; the real reward is getting to piece together a little more of what makes Kazerad and this comic tic.

It just makes sense that he’d find the oppurtunity to test people’s abilities to detect and crack hidden messages appealing. He’s basically doing this already with all the fiddly little details (such tasty wording) tucked into this comic; it’s a very small step from that to weaving full-on coded messages across multiple updates.

And again, knowing Kazerad, he’d want to try some new twist to this. Something non-traditional and bizarre, but not bizarre in the traditional sense, if that makes sense. It’d be some middle ground between the two, some twist of the traditional normal and the traditional bizarre to form something completely unique. Basically, think of the most paradoxical combination of ‘normal’ coded messages and ‘weird’ coded messages and there’s a good chance Kazerad would dearly like to test it, assuming he isn’t already in the process.

Psithief

Well, he’s certainly broken you into a million tiny pieces.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Master of Seeing the Unseeable, King of Perspective;
We even out the outliers and average our experience.

The third integral of one’s current emotional state is a hot steamy mess.
As in, cranial explosion.

What would you do, to step on the crunchiest leaf?we wOuld have yoUR EYES

…he’s certainly broken you into a million tiny pieces.

Like tiny needles, cackling as we spin. I wonder, which will we sew: seeds or corpses?

As for what it means, I think it is rather straightforward. As an Alfiq Kazerad is confused by those who want to be animals. He’s already an animal and it’s not exciting or anything. The serious exploration into the motives was cloaked as an un-serious question because Kazerad is worried about being found out (too late now.) This is also why his ‘fursona’ has no cat parts, it would be too obvious.

Alex Franklin

What the…? Why would it insert the Prequel website at the front of the URL? I didn’t type it like that! How do I unlock the secrets of hypertext magic?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Actually, it just does that sometimes. Something to do with the location character-wise in the comment; if the link HTML is inserted for the first time too far from the end, it botches it permanently, even when you edit the comment to fix it. It’s really weird, you can try doing exactly the same steps but with the link towards the end, and it magically works.

The way to fix it is kind of convulated; copy the HTML tag including the text (Link1), paste it at the end of the comment (making Link2), then copy everything from the beginning of Link1 to the beginning of Link2, save it somewhere else, and delete it. Then, just slap it back onto the end of Link2. Viola. You might need to SaveEdit before you put the text back to make Link2 stick, then reEdit.

I have no idea why it does this, or why this fixes it. Good luck.

Alex Franklin

Have you ever watched Gravity Falls? We could use someone like you to help uncover the secret codes in the next season.

The most complex and interesting character in the story. With fearless heroics and incomprehensible emotional depth this anonymous cat steals the hearts and minds of every reader.

It’s also quite clearly Kazerad’s self-insert. He’s a little narcissistic that way sometimes, but we need him to draw and stuff.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

It’s also quite clearly Kazerad’s self-insert.

And yet another reason we know that Kazerad is secretly an Alfiq.

Grawderu

Been reading this since, I dont know – a very long time. Gotta say I love this a lot. Gonna finally take a try with a command. Keep em comming

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I have been playing Oblivion recently and just got to the camp outside Kvatch. When I met Hirtel I thought, “Hey it’s that bookseller from Prequel… no, wait, other way around.”

Cobweb

I bought it on steam, but after Skyrim it’s unplayable… I mean. Mixing food to make potions? Jumping around like a fool to gain points on acrobacy. The lock picking mechanics is a nightmare. It’s too outdated to have any fun with.

Rob

I disagree wholeheartedly. I’m willing to sacrifice graphics and mechanics in order to experience an overall better game. While Skyrim looked and felt good, it was soulless in comparison to its predecessors – the writing was horseshit, the voice acting didn’t improve, and the skills system sucked. I have more fun with a slightly modded Oblivion.

On the one hand, it seems like games with incredible story or characterization keep their playability for years longer than the latest and ‘greatest’ Battlewhatsit VI. I know I’d much rather play something like Portal than Call of Duty.

On the other hand, there’s just something so visceral about seeing, really drinking in a gorgeous landscape or piloting giant frickin’ robots, that only the bleeding edge of tech can provide. Pacific Rim almost made me pee myself from the sheer awesome.

Maybe what I’m trying to say is play a game for its strengths? Play Skyrim for the looks and Oblivion for the feels? I dunno, I’m pretty inexperienced with game-analysis, compared to the normal crowd Kazerad typically attracts. Forgive my naivety.

Rob

That’s why I literally mod the shit out of Oblivion’s graphics. When you view them side by side or one directly after the other Skyrim may put Oblivion to shame, but after playing Oblivion long enough (if you can) you really forget that. The majesty of Cyrodil really sinks in if you give it a chance.

Also, mods. Aside from basic mesh and texture improvement, there are mods which make Really Almost Everything Viewable When Distant, which don’t quite bring it up to Skyrim’s level but sure as hell give it a fighting chance. The ugly and indistinguishable faces are fixable as well, and that was one of my bigger gripes about the game. I’m getting really tired of HTML links so I won’t link the stealth, combat, and crime mods I love so very very much.

The one thing I haven’t yet fixed via mods is the immersion-breaking animations and voice acting. Though these are problems with both games, the former is especially apparent in Oblivion and, while fixable, hasn’t been completely overhauled yet; the latter is more difficult to remedy, though I’m sure it could be done, as the upcoming SkyWind is planned to be fully voiced.

Even Morrowind’s landscapes were called stunning when they were released. If you go into expecting everything to be blocky and ugly, you’re probably going to see it that way. If, rather, you expect it to be nothing short of the vivid and spectacular experience it truly is, you might be able to see it as it was seen in 2002.

HOW ever, both games are being remade using the Skyrim engine. Morrowind (Skywind) should come in the next year or two, as we die-hard Morrowind fans will do anything to have the best of both worlds, but Oblivion (“Skyblivion” I hate this name) will take much longer, if it’s ever even finished. I hope so.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

So I’ve been binging old Prequel 4chan threads lately. My mind feels like it exploded and the bloody shell is now being refilled with sand. I wonder if this is what hell feels like.

Kazerad may well be the most evolved person I’ve ever internet-stalked. Which, I’m sure he’d humbly agree, is kind of sad. (He’d agree cause he’s ridiculously ahead of everyone else in almost every area that matters for sharing feels on the web, including having an honest self-image; he probably grasps the irony of his situation as well, plus quite a few things I’ve yet to stumble across) He’s like a webcomic version of Chuck Norris.

This world is so big it makes my brain huuuuurt….

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Care to share some links so that those of us who don’t know what your talking about can go on their own mind exploding journey?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Sure! As you can see and accounting for the fact that I’m progressing in reverse order, I’m currently on page 32 of 35, or less than 5% of my way through nearly one thousand paradigm-shattering posts.

Just…

I may be curled in a ball typing this right now from the sheer immensity. So much for my foolish notions of feeling like an active member of the Prequel community, or even someone who might, with plenty of sweat, blood, and honest trying, be someone a little teeny bit like Kazerad.

Oh well. :’{ Guess I’ll keep on keeping it on, like everyone else on this big blue ball of rock.

Edit: I am now utterly convinced; if it can be done, it has been done, and everyone’s already talked about on 4chan. Welcome to the party, sorry that you’re late and missed like all of it, try not to whine too much, and most of the cake is gone.

Sometimes though, if you can time it right, you get there just before the strippers. Fingers crossed that this is one of those incredible, magical moments.

Edit: Heh.
Life Metaphors: Never complete without a few exotic dancers.

tronn

Dude, it’s just a website for funny cat pictures and occasional Prequel smut, it shouldn’t send anyone on a spiritual journey. On the other hand during the T-shirt contest with 24/7 general thread on /co/ things got pretty intense, in both good and bad.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

It’s really funny to read Kazerad’s reactions there. I don’t think he had any idea that the ramifications of byte-metering a Prequel update would be so ridiculous.

I think it would be kind of like duct tapping fireworks to your arms. You’re expecting them to be sparklers or maybe a roman candle, which would look fuckin’ sick! But as you light the fuse, you realize that you’ve just strapped yourself to live mortar-grade artillery launchers, the kind that shoot shells hundreds of feet in the air. It’ll still look pretty fuckin’ sick, but you can’t help having a few wide-eyed Oh SHITwhathaveIdone?! moments.

I wonder if he and Ch’marr were in the same room, so they could laugh together at all the craziness.

VariedCookies

That’s possibly the greatest simile I’ve ever encountered.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

“byte-metering a prequel update?”
I don’t remember that, or know what it means.
I do like the simile, though it could use more Katia; maybe from when she burned up the chapel.

Alex Franklin

Argh. Shoot. I accidentally wandered onto a different 4chan thread where it was just people mercilessly bashing another webcomic artist I like. Now I’m all depressed. )-: Sigh… why does 4chan have to have such a thorough mix of interesting/funny people and awful ones?

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

…huh. That has to be one of the most painfully funny, unintentionally honest description about the general state of mankind ever written. Also, does anybody else find it absolutely terrifying that 4chan can be used as an accurate representation of the general human condition?

You’re lucky that’s ALL you wandered onto. o.O

tronn

You should not get depressed by people not liking a thing you like, though. Perspective, Alex!

Alex Franklin

It’s not so much the fact that they dislike it as the fact that reading it made me imagine what it must feel like to BE the person they’re talking trash about. The author in question has seen what people say about him on 4chan before, and suffice to say it made him feel really terrible. Now that I’ve seen it too, even I feel bad even though I’m not even the person they’re hating. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the intended target.

I wonder if we could start putting these on the fanart page? Like, with links to fan-made stories and stuff too? They totally deserve it.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

It’s my new goal, a song for every update.

Edit: I even have one for the next update submitted as a command; you know, for montage purposes.

pride-and-parliament

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Jewel version)

Prequel, Prequel, Murphy’s Law
Impacts Katia most of all
Plans she make will go awry
Like the point’s to make cats cry

When the amulet is off
Flames go up each sneeze or cough.
Royalty gives her a fright,
Kings in her mind late at night

When her neck’s bare, fear the sparks
Burning buildings are her mark;
But when bound by anti-spell
Her fearsome flames don’t do so well.

She’ll keep trying without sleep
Till the adventurous cat must weep
But if it works, don’t question why–
Seek the one who bled you dry.

Burn her home down as your mark
Show the wrath that she has sparked
Through defying nature’s laws
Katia, Katia, show your claws.

Katia, Katia, stand up tall
Bring about Sigrid’s downfall
You can do it if you try
Pull her to earth and reach the sky

Katia, Katia, be the cause
Of the burning of Kvatch.
(Evacuate, before you watch.)

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Nice, I think between me, you, and CardiacTasty we can Katiaficate all the songs, maybe even all the art.

http://cardiactasty.tumblr.com/ CardiacTasty

Look at me, I’m @JJR:disqus!! I’m soooo witty and everyone wishes they could be just like me, @JJR:disqus, cause @JJR:disqus’s the best; he’s soooo smart and totes funny. @JJR:disqus is clearly better than the rest.

I went out, had some ale,
Found a girl with a tail,
I made all of the friends.
(You-make-more-without-pants)
Donates fruit, barbed and thick,
Cause I’d show her my trick,
I made all of the friends.
(You-make-more-without-pants)

Unannounced twister games,
Plebeians were amazed,
Said it’s not possible.
(With just one pineapple)
Everyone gets to watch,
As it’s lodged, in my crotch.
Maybe now I’m useful?
(With just one pineapple)

Ha, nice.
Somebody needs to draw Ted Mosby and Katia together, wasted out of their minds, with Katia holding a pineapple and grinning mischievously.
(I’d try my amateurish hand at it, but I’m having computer issues.)

Also, I’m giving you an upvote.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Nice song.
It seems though, that most people assume that the pineapple trick is simply her shoving it into her vagina. I don’t think this is it, it’s too easy to describe with words, and does not involve a yoyo at all.

I think it is something like the final treasure of La-Mulana; it is that which should not be, and can only cause regrets when seen. Whenever it is preformed Khenarthi, extending her mercy to the witnesses, petitions Alkosh to suspend time and unmake the trick. This is why the only thing people talk about is that impossible to describe but really impressive thing that happened; they are remembering the divine intervention, not the trick. It is also why she can only do it while drunk, she has to use her untapped Witchhunting potential to tap into the Aetherius to make it happen.

M’aiq the Liar

M’aiq likes these and hopes you make more

pride-and-parliament

I want to try! Give me a song!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Well, now that you and DeliciousHeart are on the Katiafication bandwagon, it’s time for the next step.

The sooner we get to 600 comments, the sooner we get an update. :] But really, there has to be a correlation between the two. It would be interesting to see, for example, which updates generated a higher comment rate and are therefore more… what, affective? Emotionally turbulant? What could something like this be indicative of? As Kazerad would say, it’s all data; but what does it mean?

Rob

I’ve concocted a formula to lend credibility to this theory:

C/100 + T¹ = G

Where C equals number of comments, T¹ equals time since last update in days, and G is the numerical representation of Kazerad’s guilt. When G reaches one hundred, Kazerad will be forced to immediately write and release a new page due to the sheer shame.

That or have a nervous breakdown. I’m a little rusty on my math.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

this means that if no comments are submitted G reaches 100 in 100 days.
it also means that the number of days it takes for G to reach 100
decreases by one for every additional 100 comments, reaching 0 days at
10,000 comments.

Looking back at our 3 month hiatus (aka the Great Cat Drought) I get a score of 90 for the wait and 14.60 for the comments, total of 104.6. I think we can call this an ok approximation. But it is a sufficient condition, other updates happened faster and the formula does not tell us why.

Also do you think Kazerad’s shame takes into account the quality of the comments, or just the quantity?

Edit: Also, do comments on old updates count toward the total? That makes it much harder to compute.

Rob

This only applies to the more recent ones, as the gaps have gotten larger.

The reason it’s so reliant on the number of comments is because they’re indicative of our anxiety as a result of the slow updates. If we just don’t comment, he’ll think, oh, nobody even likes this. If we make 600 comments in three weeks, on the other hand, clearly we are STARVING for an update.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

But it’s not very reliant on comment number at all, what with that being divided by 100. We would have to get 100 comments a day for 50 days just to cut the wait in half; total of 5,000 comments. Your example only cuts 6 days by comments, and does it over a period of 21 days; G is 27 and only 22% of G is caused by the comments.

Maybe it’s the other way around. Kazerad will keep the updates coming fast enough to keep us interested in returning to the website, but the comment section also helps keep our interest. That is to say that the more interesting discussions there are in the comment section the slower the average readers interest decreases.

This would mean that Kazerad uses the number of comments as a proxy for how long he can work on an update before he starts to lose readers. This would mean that by posting this I push back either the next update, or the one after that.

Of course their are other possibilities; such as he is waiting for someone to submit the right command.

Rob

I look at it this way: if comments were daily or weekly I might make three or four. But more like monthly… I’m here every evening at some point coming up with bullshit mathematical formulas to estimate when an update will come out. Holy shit, what am I doing with my life?

https://www.furaffinity.net/user/jumanjioiyoiyoi/ Jumanji_oiyoiyoi

WHEN IS THE NEXT UPDATE!!!! IM DYING OF ANTICIPATION HERE!!!! XD XD XD

A Sry Cat Adict

Me to. =¢ Kaaaaz, do yuo love us? Like as much as tf2?? o.o

Silas Frondomere

Well, Think back to the peg game. You got it right by doing it wrong and figuring out why you did it wrong. So figure out what you’re doing wrong now, try again, and if that fails figure out why it did so.

Here’s a suggestion to get started: Maybe you’re trying too hard. Try putting in the minimal amount of try into it that it’s like not trying so hard, but so little you aren’t trying at all.

Using words and puns has been your spoon. The amulet will not allow you to use the spoon. It is forcing you to find your shovel.

AndyW

Hi, just found this comic, and I’m really loving it. I especially love the balance of tragedy and humour, although I really hope it doesn’t go all grimdark and have poor Katia completely broken – showing a character overcoming great adversity is one thing, just torturing a character for the amusement of readers is something else.

I wonder, is there any rule or convention for how long after a page goes up Kazerad can still take on new commands (or suggestions :)) being submitted – or indeed on not swamping him/her with ridiculous numbers of them?

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

Welcome to the (name of fandom)

I think that the command can be submitted at any time if it is not already too late to be used.

As I Cry, ‘Dat Cat’

Welcome to the insanity that is Prequel! It’s kind of amazing how many different emotional extremes can be packed into a comic revolving around the (mis)adventures of a sad cat. :B

I don’t think Kazerad particularly cares about the swampage of comments. He really enjoys seeing his readers’ reactions; feel free to squirt some words at him.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

The only rule I have ever heard regarding commands is that they go in the submit commands link. I don’t think there have been any other rules or conventions elaborated, though some of the people who have been here longer might know something.

In theory Kazerad reads these comments; so if you had a specific question you could try summoning him by typing his name out three times or something. Of course I could not guarantee that Kazerad wouldn’t end up with your soul at the end, somehow. That might just be my own fear talking and not have anything to do with Kazerad, better safe than sorry though.

VariedCookies

Really? That sounds awfully like he already has your soul and you’re trying to get other people to offer theirs.

Yeah… that was exactly what a soulless entity WOULD say…

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

You’re absolutely right about the second part, if Kazerad does steal souls I want someone else to find that out the hard way. Mine is still safe though, no p-zombies behind this Disqus profile.

Edit:Quaaaaalia

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

Guys….how are we called?…i mean fans of prequel…Do we have some special name?

What about Dimitries?In memory of Dimitri the necromancer.He has one thing common with us.He loves…well loved Katia as much as we do and his name is connected to prequel.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

naaah, its just a little obscure. I say we should be Sad Cats or Pity Kitties. Or maybe Insanity Whispers. cause I personally think that we act as schizophrenic thoughts that Katia has.

chingis

Well i realy dont like pity kitties… its sounds too gay and sad cats are too normal

AndyW

How about “Lushcats”? As in a drunkard being called a lush.

“Recovering Lushcats”?

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

well for now even fans of twilight have better name than us…even manlier one

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

do we have to have a manly fan-base name? sounds like thats just trying to fit into the picture. and if this out of mysticism is telling me anything, we should make the picture agree to fit with US. so my final vote is for Sadcats and/or Pity Kitties.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

So you are telling me that trying to come up with name that would suit everybody is trying to fit into the picture?

Edit:
In an attempt to stay true to the mysticism lets choose a name with the least votes!

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

So we call ourselves the names that we know that no one voted for because we didn’t think them up, and once we figure out what we are calling ourselves we have to change it immediately. I could get behind this; though it means the fan base would turn into the sort of group that you find in an HP Lovecraft story, the cult that Katia is trying to avoid.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

Point taken…

Edit:
I think we should convice somebody on facebook fangroup to make voting pool or how is that thing called because for now its just few people who are actualy voting.

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

I second Pity Kitties….though it sounds too overatached

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

also Coalition

Alex Franklin

Fanigans?

Seajay

I second Sadcats. I also support Katians

newton

How about following homestucks’ lead and just calling ourselves “prequels”
See how easy that was?

http://omgzdenek.deviantart.com/ OMGZDENEK

lame but better than pity kitties

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Wouldn’t that imply that the fan base is just here to be the origin story for some other, better, fan base?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Maybe we should call ourselves AFOTUK (A Fan Of The Upset Khajiit) kind of like ASOTIL (A Soldier of the Imperial Legion).

Edit: Apparently, I just up voted this one and it worked; so verboten.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

having to take a break from stalking Kaz? seriously, you seem to have stumbled onto a massive iceberg. infact, whos to say Kazerad is just a SINGLE Alfiq?

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Wait, why are you giving CT credit for my awesome theory?

As far as being a single Alfiq, I think so. While there could be a team of Alfiqine artists behind this comic I don’t see why they wouldn’t all have their own secret identity. Especially since the more people you have pretending to be a single person the harder it is to coordinate and maintain a consistent narrative among them.

Also I have been thinking about what must have happened to Kazerad to bring him into our world. It would have been a shock, finding himself transported to a strange world with its strange forms of magic and not a single Mer or Beast in sight. At least there were still men, but they all regarded Kazerad as little more than a dumb animal. With no home, and no way to communicate with the local sophonts Kazerad most likely spent some hard nights out in the elements, searching for scraps.

It might be at this point that he met the person who would later become the fake Kazerad. Using his best pity eyes to convince the human to let him into the house. There Kazerad learned about our world. Here he would have received a second shock. Not only do Khajiit not exist in this world, they are actually fictional characters from a popular video game series. Was Kazerad’s entire world the product of the Bethesda team’s imagination? Except that couldn’t be the whole story, Kazerad came from a full world, not one who’s details were compressed for the benefit of a player. Most relevantly, Alfiq have yet to appear in an Elder Scrolls game, though they have been mentioned. (At some point in this process the fake Kazerad got a shock of his own. One day he walked into his computer room and found the stray cat he had adopted surfing the internet.)

If Kazerad had not come directly from the video games, then where was he from? That he ended up in a world with fictional Khajiit could not be a coincidence. Maybe the presence of the game allowed for a pathway between the two worlds to form; a process not unlike the descriptive books from the game series Myst. If that is the case then perhaps Kazerad has a way to get back home.

Enter the Prequel comic. Just as the game series created a link between Earth and Nirn, this series is meant to create a very specific link to allow Kazerad to travel back. That’s why the main character is not just learning magic but learning how to, “Think like a witchhunter.” She eventually will need to see that Nirn is not the only world that exists that she might bridge the two. It explains why all those fiddly little details are always in order. If Kazerad contradicts established Elder Scrolls canon, at best he will link to a different world, at worst that world will be unstable. It may even have something to do with why the update rate has dropped. In order to act as a bridging mechanism Kazerad has to start introducing those elements to the story. However, in order to maintain maximum “reality” Kazerad has to keep people reading the comic (presumably one of the reasons that Nirn linked to Earth is the popularity of The Elder Scrolls series.) But how would that come across to readers? Fantasy world portal to Earth would most likely come across as cheesy 80′s sequel plot point that will never work out, and then the fans drift away.

Where the story goes from here a cannot say (in fact I think I just ran out of words.) But one thing I will say is that it will be interesting.

HWHC

Command, since the command section is down:
Realize this is all just a game, and use the in-game mouse to click and drag it around.
And then smack the ghost.
In fact, smacking an incorporeal ghost is probably cooler than the mouse thing, so forget the mouse stuff since it’s stupid and SMACK THE GHOST. Like a true ghostwitchhunter.

Argon

Ok, levelling everything up and being concise.
Through all these interesting analogies are, all of them have a theme in common: Magic, and through it, Telekinesis is something natural to a spellcaster, he harnesses powers and channels them through proper incantations to mold these forces to his will. But you’re using raw, simple force, fire and telekinesis. Don’t try to force it through squeezing your brain, yelling to yourself and the like. The unicorn, the wheel, everything, is just a simple analogy to doing something naturally without you placing handicaps on yourself by either overthinking or trying to make an ‘incantation’ to make it work. Imagine that Telekinesis and Fire are extra arms that you haven’t used in a while, but they’re part of you, they’re part of what you are, they just need a lil work and exercise. Thus, stop, relax, and try to feel those energies flowing through you, nevertheless, try to lift the pin not with ‘brute strength’, aka forcing yourself, focusing and diddly-daddling, but simply lift it as you would do with your normal arms, or mouth, but without using them. Try to be natural. And relax, after a workout your limbs will be sore due those muscles you haven’t used in a long time.

I usually report all translations and get them taken down, though I have been putting this one off since it seems like it’ll be a pain figuring out how to report it on a Russian site. Do you have examples of the mistakes it makes? If they are dire, I will give it a higher priority.

Jonno

well, the site DOES link the original source, I don’t know if that matters to you, but even the first sentence is translated differently:

English: ‘Today is the beginning of the new you.’

Translation: ‘Today is a wonderful occasion to start a new life’

Its mostly just errors in terms of how it’s translated, the site has a facebook page

hey, hey, hey, le translator in da house!
Our languages are different (your came from Roman – our from Slavonian) so ofc they will have grammatical differences. I’m always trying to achieve as closest literature interpretation as possible.
2Kaz. I’ll start open poll with next translated episode and will check out how much traffic you actually lose (get?)
And this image goes to my russian fellow :3 http://imgur.com/b6ipwaB

P.S. Kaz, we don’t need your help with flex .swfs anymore as we figured how to edit text within.

My main concern isn’t with your particular translation so much as the fact that, if I don’t attempt to get your translation taken down, it might weaken my position if I ever need to take down a really bad translation that completely destroys the writing (which I have had taken down in the past).

If you had asked permission and were able to demonstrate that your translation was accurate, it might be different. As is, though, I really do have a legal obligation to try to get your translation removed.

I am going to put it off for like a day so you have time to save the stuff you already translated – in case the site actually does take it down for copyright infringement, which isn’t guaranteed since Russian law is different. If they do take it down, contact me privately and we can talk about what it would take for an author-authorized translation. Which really, I would have preferred you did in the first place. The approach you took was not a particularly polite one.

newton

Why? I’d feel a little disappointed at first, but later flattered-at least someone likes the story enough to translate it..

Kazerad

It’s mainly a legal thing. Reposting the entire story/pictures on another site without permission is copyright infringement, and most of the time it’s easy to get it taken down under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If I don’t attack every instance of copyright infringement, though, it will weaken my position if someone ever contests me over it.

Also, I like to make sure any reposting of the story is as enjoyable as possible! It is very hard to confirm the quality of something when it’s being translated into a language you don’t know – and a little disconcerting when the translator isn’t entirely fluent in your language. Fanart is flattering, but a translator is representing my actual work to others, so I try to enforce standards.

newton

That makes sense.
Any news on future updates? (Sorry)

Kazerad

No need to apologize! I’ll probably get back on the ball this weekend; I’ve just had a lot of stuff going on this last month.

I’d post a note about it up at the top of the page, but then it updates everyone’s RSS feed and disappoints them when they come and there is no update.

Kfx

Two more comments until 600. Wait now one more.

Seajay

WE ARE AT 600!! … no wait a minute.

witheld

Welp, this seriously is painfully slow. Set a reminder on my phone to come back in six months. See you guys then!

Anon

Whoa whoa whoa. The anticipation is part of the fun, because you know every update is going to be freaking awesome.

http://huffingtontheonly.deviantart.com HuffingtontheOnly

Sic months is too long. by then there will be three new updates.

Seras vago

Animo, que llevas un puto mes sin hacer nada

Sir Prize

it’s simple, really… Katia doesn’t need to try and magically move the peg with telekinesis.
Pegs can fly on there own. she just needs to remind it that it can. : /

andwhyisit

This. Very much this.

Seajay

I feel as if one must post this daily but commands are to be directed to the Summit command button/link thingy.

Sir prize

if this was on account of me, I’m sorry.
I’m not actualy posting commands, just my personal little theorys. I’ll work on scentance structure to help make it more obvious from now on. : /

Alex Franklin

To be fair, the Submit Commands button could be put in a more obvious place. It could even be elegantly worked into the “>_” at the bottom of the newest page. Then nobody with sense would get confused.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

Given how long the link has been tucked into its semi obscure corner, I think that it is a deliberate design decision by Kazerad. I am not sure what the purpose would be. Maybe it’s to get more people to comment in the comment section?

newton

While we wait, anyone want to share other cool webcomics to look at?
I’ll start off with action time buddies.

M’aiq the Liar

M’aiq has wandered and seen many webcomics worth reading. Consider starting with hiveworks for an easy source of many webcomics to fill your time. M’aiq personally reads homestuck too, but that’s not for everyone.

The best, and most serious, comic I have read is May the Rain Come. There is always Twokinds or Slightly Damned and all of Precocious is good as well. Other mentionables are Original Life, Housepets!, Cyanide and happiness, Rare candy treatment, Redtail’s Dream, LFG, and Stand Still Stay Silent. Of course those are only mentionables.

pride-and-parliament

TwoKinds is usually better for archive binges, though. Although then you miss the alt-text.
Slightly Damned is great. I actually comment on Precocious under “ALWS.”

I did really like Redtail’s Dream (after the prologue) and am reading SSSS. Housepets! isn’t always exceptional, but it can be really good– it’s really good for archive binging and not too bad for checking daily either. Unfortunately commenting is disabled and the forum posts aren’t quite as fun.

Alex Franklin

I find Paranatural to be really funny and a good story. Ava’s Demon is a beautiful read, and even has animated cutscenes like this one. Then there’s the epic Order of the Stick, which has made me laugh, and often, cry. I’d recommend Dresden Codak, but if you’re looking for something that updates more frequently than this comic, it’s probably not the best choice. REALLY pretty artwork, though.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

How did you give your links mouse over descriptions?

Alex Franklin

In the opening tag, right after the part where you put the URL in, add: title=”this will become the mousover text”

My goodness I forgot Dreamkeepers I’m sorry Dave and Liz. On another note I second It’s a Hard Life I feel I should also mention Bittersweet Candy Bowl because it’s in watercolor and that is hard to do in my opinion.

I think I have figured out the whole dream thingy that both Katia and
the guard are suffering from. In short, its the emperor causing them.
the long version takes a little more time to explain, so here it goes:
the emperor, had for quite a long time, been plauged by dreams of his
own death, the invasion of Mundus, and a singular hero who would save
the world. And heres where the guessing starts, Upon seeing all this
doom/destruction, the emperor entered the mind of the “hero” he saw in
his dreams in order to comunicate the whole end of the
world/apocolypse/doom doom dommyness thing that was coming, sadly , in
comparison to the emperor, katia was rather weak minded and as such her
brain melted the message the emperor was trying to convey (doom) and the
emperor himself into one crazy deadric nigtmare emperor. The only
reason I can think he would also try and communicate with the guard is
if:

a) he knows the invasion of Kvatch is coming and hopes to stop this through use of the guard

b)
the emperor himself dosen’t quite know who the hero is yet for certain
and is just entering the minds of a bunch of possible “heros”

c) its all just random and coincidental, disregard the text aboved) some other reason, disregard the text above

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

I would have to go with C(some other reason). The dreams do not appear to be an attempt to help anybody. I’m basing this assessment on the fact that they are harmful and debilitating to the people who have them.

Looking at guard captain Gaius; he has developed a pathological fear of cultists. Worse, all the the guards know about this fear and make fun of him for it. How do you think they will react when he tries to tell them that a group of cultists are opening a gate to Oblivion right outside the walls. Even if he manages to keep his cool (doubtful), At best all he will get is some condescending looks and some advise to, “go get some rest.” The dreams have effectively isolated him from the other guards.

The other dreamer we know of is Katia. She dreams of the Emperor. Not only did these dreams ruin her life to an even greater extent than Gaius, but if she is fated to be the Hero of the Oblivion Crisis the fear of royalty will make it much harder. Imagine Uriel Septim VII walking into that cell, and then Katia has a heart attack from the sheer terror. That or it is almost impossible for her to help Martin Septim because of the fear.

Rob

Looking at guard captain Gaius; he has developed a pathological fear of cultists.

As far as how it effects his life. There is another thing but I’m not sure if it counts. His dreams gave him a fear reasonable apprehension of cultists. This prevented him from taking Katia seriously, as she had already revealed her cult associated past to him. So rather than doing the smart thing and contacting Vaermina again with Katia to give the new information, he stomps off. On the other paw, if he didn’t have the nightmares he wouldn’t have any reason to associate with Katia in the first place.

Rob

They key difference lies in they key word reasonable; while functionally identical to fear, reasonable apprehension is always justifiable.While fear may imply a lack of understanding, rather than an actual self-defensive reaction to a threat, reasonable apprehension is simply giving due caution to a potential threat. Such as cultists, or emperors. Both perfectly reasonable threats to one’s existence.

Ja’ Jarsha Rovandi

As far as reasonable goes, we know his fears are reasonable because we know the Oblivion crisis is about to be started by some cultists. His apprehensions do not seem so reasonable to his fellow guards though. That’s why I tend to think of it more like a pathological fear than reasonable apprehension. It seems to have isolated him.

I think that that is the purpose of the dreams to in the first place. Maybe he is fated to be see the cultists prepare to open up the gate outside Kvatch. If a captain Gaius who had not been known to worry excessively about cultists sounded an alarm, the other guards would take it seriously. So the dreams are sent. Now what happens is that one guard captain who is always going on about cults is raising another false alarm, about cults.

In that sense it’s not reasonable. If he can’t get people to take him seriously when it matters he won’t be able to effectively defend the city against dangerous cultists. In that way his feelings about cultists and how they are a threat is itself a threat.

I’m still not sure who wants to ruin the lives of a guard captain and a homeless Khajiit though.

Rob

Aside form Mehrunes Dagon? No, what really gets me is the talking in the last dream. You know that’s gotta be important, even if it was hilariously worded. So we’ve got one malevolent godly figure, likely working to aid the Oblivion invasion, and then another who for some reason cares. This is all sorts of fucked up.

Master race Altmer psijic

Why does a plebean dead Dunmer scum try to teach superior art of Mysticism
What next, he will try to teach Dawn magics and Shadow magics? Go back and sculpt something out of ash or whatever you greyskins do.